Summary of the Plot
Crime 101 is a tense crime thriller that Bart Layton wrote and directed. It is based on the book by Don Winslow. The main character in the movie is Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth), a careful jewel thief who has been able to stay out of trouble with the law by following a strict rule: no violence, no bloodshed.
His boss is angry that Mike is very picky about the jobs he takes. The boss tells Ormon to rob Mike to keep him in line, but Mike refuses and secretly tells Ormon to keep an eye on Mike’s next job and take back anything he steals.
At the same time, Mike sets his sights on a big opportunity: stopping an illegal jewelry trade. His plan includes Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry), an insurance agent who doesn’t get enough credit for her work at a high-end firm. Sharon has been ignored and disrespected at work, even though she is good at what she does.
Mike hires Sharon to help him steal $11 million worth of jewels from her rich client, Steven Monroe (Tate Donovan). Detective Lou gets closer to Mike as the heist goes on, setting up a high-stakes showdown.
How does Lou know Mike?
Mike gets shot during one of his robberies, and the blood he leaves behind in an abandoned car is a sign of his death. Lou finds DNA records that link Mike to his real name, James. Lou finds James’s foster mother and tries to reach him through her, but Mike hangs up as soon as he realizes Lou is on the line.
Later, Lou sees Sharon at a yoga class. She looks like she was attacked by Ormon, who is pushing her to tell him more about Mike’s plan. Sharon tells Lou everything because she is scared. He protects her while he figures out what Mike is going to do next.
Lou finds out that Mike plans to dress up as a security guard to get into the hotel where the illegal deal will take place. He also finds out that Mike wants to stop a courier named Foster. Lou gets ready to catch Mike in the act of stealing.
What Goes On at the Hotel?
All the important people meet at the hotel. Ormon sneaks into the building by pretending to be staff. Mike, pretending to be part of the security detail, goes into Monroe’s suite with Lou, who has been waiting for the right time.
Mike pulls out a gun and tells the person to give him the jewels. Lou, on the other hand, has already hidden his own gun in the case and tells the other person that he is a police officer. Ormon bursts into the room and points his gun at Lou before he can make an arrest.
Mike steps in at a crucial moment and shoots Ormon, saving Lou’s life. This act goes against Mike’s long-standing rule against violence, which changes who he is.
Does Mike Get a Second Chance?
The moral center of the movie is Mike’s choice to shoot Ormon. Even though it goes against his code, it shows that he has grown. For the first time, Mike chooses to do something good for others instead of just for himself.
Lou sees this and chooses not to arrest Mike. Instead, he blames Ormon for the string of “Crime 101” robberies and tells Mike to keep quiet, threatening to reveal unrelated crimes if he ever tells the truth.
Mike can leave, but not without consequences. His actions show that he wants to change, even if he can’t completely get away from his past. In that way, his redemption is only partial; he earned it by making a choice, but it is not yet complete.
Mike’s Past
Mike’s guarded personality comes from a difficult childhood. He grew up poor in Los Angeles and was homeless and unstable from a young age. His obsession with control, accuracy, and money grew out of this chaotic past.
The movie only shows bits and pieces of his past, keeping it a mystery. A childhood picture he later sends to Maya suggests that his family life was broken, possibly with siblings, but there isn’t much information available.
What happens to Lou?
From the beginning, Lou’s personal life is a mess. He is having trouble at work and in his personal life after breaking up with his wife Angie because she cheated on him. He is put on leave while an investigation is going on because he wouldn’t help a coworker who shot an unarmed teen for no reason.
Lou starts to feel like he has a purpose again as he works on the case. After the hotel incident, he secretly switches the real diamonds for fake ones and gives the real ones to Sharon, which brings them closer together.
Later, Lou gets a strange package that takes him to a garage. There, he finds a green Camaro from 1968, which is the car of his dreams, given to him by Mike as a thank-you gift. It’s a quiet way of saying that they have a complicated relationship.
What happens to Sharon?
One of the most important changes in the movie happens to Sharon. She finally stands up to her boss and quits her job when she sees him mistreating another woman at work after being discriminated against at work.
Lou gives Sharon diamonds that give her the money she needs to start over. The last scenes with her make it seem like she might want to be independent, maybe by starting her own business. Her growing relationship with Lou also suggests that something new is happening in her personal life.
What happens to Mike and Maya?
Maya comes into Mike’s life when she accidentally hits his classic car. Their relationship grows quickly, but she gets angry with Mike for being secretive and not showing her feelings.
Before the robbery, Mike tells her he’s leaving town but doesn’t give her a clear reason why, which makes her more suspicious. But Mike starts to change after the movie’s events.
At the end, he sends Maya a childhood picture and a note saying he’s sorry for what he did wrong. Maya’s smile and quick exit show that she is willing to give him another chance.
Last Thoughts
Crime 101 ends on a note that is unclear but hopeful. Mike doesn’t completely make up for what he’s done in the past, but his actions show that he wants to change who he is and who he wants to be. He takes the first steps toward redemption by choosing to save Lou and talk to Maya. The rest of his journey is up to the reader to decide.