‘Crime 101’ Is Inferior Spin on This Cop Classic

Brad Layton’s “Crime 101” had a brief run in theaters this past February, before getting pulled, despite strong reviews and a $37 million domestic box office tally that was far from embarrassing (though not enough to cover the reported $90 million budget). A month later, it premiered on Amazon Prime, where most were seeing it for the first time. I’m glad the film is finding a new and appreciative audience and there are things to savor in this contemporary crime thriller. Nevertheless, the problem with the film isn’t with the level of filmmaking or the performances, but an overly familiar screenplay, with too many elements we’ve all seen before. We meet Mike (Chris Hemsworth), a slickly attired jewel thief, during a heist that takes an unexpected twist of fate. Lou (Mark Ruffalo), the dete