Film Review – Crime 101

“Crime 101” is an adaptation of a 2021 novella by author Don Winslow, who delivers a tale of crime and punishment featuring leathery characters and dangerous situations. He’s been working on gritty thrillers for decades, and writer/director Bart Layton has also been here before, previously helming the 2017 heist picture, “American Animals.” It’s not exactly new ground for either creative force behind the movie, but “Crime 101” is all about reliable entertainment, bringing audiences back into a web of trouble for disparate personalities on both sides of the law. Excitement is intermittent in the endeavor, but Layton has a capable cast to help bring concern and caution to life, also doing well with a Los Angeles-based noir-ish approach, trying to scratch many Michael Mann itches while still delivering a maze of motivations for viewers. He certainly takes his time to arrive at an ending, but the offering is mostly successful with its turns and underworld routine. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com