The Stream: Too much confusing set up that doesn’t pay off.

The Big Screen: A great cast of characters in a compelling thriller.

The Final Bill: Despite a runtime that’s too long, a strong cast makes this thriller thrilling.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Bart Layton
Writers: Bart Layton based on a novella by Don Winslow
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Halle Berry
Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller
Rating: R for language throughout, some violence and sexual material/nudity
Runtime: 2 hours 15 minutes
Production Companies: Amazon MGM Studios, Working Title Films, RAW, Wild State, The Story Factory
Platform: In theaters February 13, 2026
Notable Trailers: Scream 7, Disclosure Day, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, Project Hail Mary, Masters of the Universe, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Alright, Streamers! There are surprisingly a lot of options at the movie theaters this February. You don’t have to see the latest romantic comedy or drama because that’s the only offering. For those who are all Valentine’s-out, Crime 101 is a crime-thriller waiting to take you to school. In Crime 101, Mike (Chris Hemsworth) is a notorious jewel thief, who has been successful in his jobs by avoiding violence and escaping off of Route 101. When, inevitably a job goes south, and Mike has another option to score, a detective (Mark Ruffalo), an insurance broker (Halle Berry), and a crazy biker (Barry Keoghan) get mixed up in Mike’s interlocking ways. Heists hijinks ensue.

Crime 101 is one of those intense, complicated crime dramas that end up getting played in marathons on TNT. That’s not a bad thing at all. While Crime 101 is complicated enough to be interesting, it is also accessible enough to pull in general audiences. The premise is very familiar. There are crime-thriller tropes that abound like the depressed detective, the damsel in distress, the thief on “one last job” and the psychotic other thief hellbent on killing everyone. Typically, those cliches are eye-rolling and make a movie boring; but somehow, they don’t in this movie. (Actually, Crime 101 reminds me a lot of Steve McQueen’s Widows without the political subplot.) I will say that this movie is too long and the first 45 minutes drag a bit – and the ending is kind of corny. It would have been a tighter, more engrossing thriller if some of the twisty set-up was cut. Nevertheless, this movie did keep me interested, for most of it.

On a side, but very important, note -I loved this cast. Each character was distinctive, even with their cliches. Chris Hemsworth shows he can do more than just Thor. He’s a compelling actor outside of that costume when given the right role. Barry Keoghan plays crazy effectively, which we already know. Mark Ruffalo has played many sad sack detectives and he’s good at it. It is Halle Berry in this movie that is the welcome surprise. She finally has a role worthy of her talents, and she delivers. She’s sympathetic and challenging. I hope Hollywood gives her more of these roles soon.

Ultimately, Crime 101 is a good, but basic crime-thriller. It has a lot of tropes and cliches and an unnecessarily long runtime that drag it down, but it is also compelling enough to keep you interested. A great cast elevates some corny and obvious moments to make this an otherwise fun and intense thriller. Crime 101 is good enough for a matinee in the theater, but a big box of popcorn for a must-watch when it arrives on streaming.