Crime 101

“Davis” (Chris Hemsworth) is one of those rare breeds of thieves. He has scruples about violence and so always wants to avoid hurting those whom he robs. It’s a sound policy as usually it is the couriers he is relieving of their diamonds, or watches, or jewels. His latest job didn’t quite go to plan, though, and feeling a bit unnerved he tells his ageing fence “Money” (Nick Nolte) that he wants out. He's not the kind of man to let the job go unfinished, so drafts in his far less scrupulous pal “Ormon” (Barry Keoghan) who is about as subtle as an air raid. When “Davis” hears of the robbery, he confronts “Money” and that’s when the wheels of his well oiled machine begin to come off as the motor-cycling “Ormon” is instructed to turn his attentions on our now disillusioned thief. Meantime, insurance underwriter “Sharon” (Halle Berry) is fed up slaving away under a glass ceiling for her bosses who won’t make her a partner, and so is a ripe target for “Davis” as he continues to plan for his retirement. The question is, can he turn her allegiance to his own advantage and perhaps give her an opportunity to fleece her latest, and most odious, client “Monroe” (Tate Donovan)? “Lou” (Mark Ruffalo) is the cop charged with trying to make headway investigating the robberies and it’s him who concludes that route 101 is crucial to the pattern and that his perpetrator is no ordinary thug. Scene set, what plays out now is a really quite disappointing drama that focuses too much on the characters and not enough on the mischievous intrigues and execution of the heists until the last ten minutes, when it finally comes alive a little. Hemsworth looks the part but doesn’t really embrace it; Berry could have had more of the game but her part is left sadly undercooked; Keoghan just sticks to his tried and tested borderline maniacal role, only this time with dyed blonde hair, and finally there is Ruffalo who could have made for a more formidable foil for Hemsworth had their duel of wits been allowed more prominence. It does look good with Hemsworth looking every inch as if he’d stepped directly out from one of his many luxury goods adverts, but the remainder makes for a routinely charisma-free, car-chase crime caper that I shall never remember. Pity.