Bart Layton’s star-studded “Crime 101” is a classic cat-and-mouse thriller, the likes of which we see (in his own words) few and farther between these days. While he wanted to deliver a rollercoaster ride for audiences that provided the requisite set pieces, tension, and character dynamics, he was after something more. Something that focuses directly on the problems of the day, in Los Angeles (where the film takes place), but in the nation at large.

“The chasm between the haves and have-nots” was a focal point, and it read through in the film, loud and clear. Chris Hemsworth’s main character is a high-end thief, and his character DNA is not far removed from another cinema criminal, Michael Mann and James Caan’s titular thief in the film of the same name.

While references to “Heat” are abundant in “Crime 101,” Layton knows he can’t remake or touch Mann’s 1995 crime epic (maybe the best in the genre?). He is riffing on the location, concepts, and character archetypes, weaving together some entirely new ideas, like how Halle Berry’s character faces agism and sexism in the workplace.

The film draws a massive, dramatic distinction between those who are rolling in absurd wealth and those who come from less than nothing. In a time of wealth inequality, in a city where the unhoused pack streets near 8-figure homes, the contrast is stark. Hemsworth’s character has buried his past to reach something closer to what he feels is comfort, but as the story unfolds, we discover more and more that his roots and upbringing were a challenge. He has fought in a way that attempts to victimize only those with so much that they won’t ‘miss’ it, to climb out. He has reached nearly his station of comfort, but he can’t ‘get out’ of the game just yet. Enter the one job that might get him there.

Things are complicated by a morally driven, Columbo-inspired cop (Mark Ruffalo) and an unhinged criminal rival (Barry Keoghan). The ending weaves all the characters and plotlines together, landing the plane somewhere satisfying without layering too much significant commentary on the class issues present in the characters’ arcs. The substantive issues Layton addresses aren’t explored too deeply; the focus of the film is clearly the heist plot and associated character drama, but this light commentary on the world we live in gives “Crime 101” a layer that comparable genre films frequently lack.

“Crime 101” is in theaters on February 13.

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‘Crime 101’ Review – A Superb Original Crime Thriller With Plenty Of Style