Crime 101 (2026)

Crime 101 (2026)

In Los Angeles, Mike is getting ready for a job. He wipes down his weapons, gets everything in order, and throws on a sharp suit before stepping out. He gets into his car, checks his map, and drives to his target location. When he got there, he stayed calm and kept a close eye on his target from a distance before quietly trailing him through the city.

Using a tracker he planted on a man named Massud months earlier, Mike follows him until he spots the right opportunity in a tunnel. He drives ahead to block it, puts on a mask, and steps out with a gun. He checks Massud's pockets, orders him into the trunk of his own car, and demands his phone password. He tells him there is water in the trunk before closing it, then removes the tracker from Massud's vehicle, steals his phone, and returns to his own car to leave.

Meanwhile, cousins Ben and Ali are preparing for a diamond transport job. At the jewelry shop, the owner, Sammy, hands them a briefcase and then pulls Ben aside privately. He tells him the diamonds in the briefcase are fake — the real ones are worth $3 million and must be hidden in Ben's socks. He hands over a personal gun as well and hints that a car will follow them for protection. He instructs Ben not to tell Ali. At that same moment, Mike parks outside the shop and sends Sammy a text from Massud's phone, posing as him to signal that he is ready. Sammy inspects the cousins' weapons before they leave, unhappy with Ali's gun, and replaces it with a better one.

The cousins head out in their car, and Mike follows, impersonating Massud. When they pull into a parking area, Mike puts on his mask again and deliberately parks too close to their vehicle. He points his gun at them and holds up his phone, playing a live feed of Ben's house as a threat. He forces them to drop their weapons and phones into his car, then demands the real diamonds and the delivery paperwork, making it clear he already knows the briefcase contains fakes. Ben initially plays dumb, so Mike mentions his wife by name so he hands over the diamonds.

Mike goes to release Massud, and in that brief distraction Ali grabs his second gun. When Mike returns, Ali points it at him — but his hand trembles and he misses, the shot shattering the window behind Mike instead. Terrified, Mike immediately reverses and speeds away. He drives through the city streets at full speed, nearly crashing multiple times, until he reaches a parking garage. There he removes his contact lenses, wipes himself down, covers the car, and switches to another vehicle before disappearing.

Back at his apartment, Mike pours the diamonds into a cup. As he inspects his mask, he spots a blood stain and then notices a wound on his own head. A cold realization sets in — there may also be blood left inside the getaway car in the parking garage.

That evening, Mike meets his contact, Nick — the man who buys stolen goods, launders money, and funds the operations. Mike admits the last job went slightly wrong and that he is uneasy. He already has a plan for another diamond store robbery, this time in Santa Barbara, but something feels off. The Santa Barbara job is supposed to happen in broad daylight, through the front door, with civilians around. Nick tells him to either think of a better plan or take a rest and clear his head. Mike agrees to hold off. But just as Mike walks away, Nick makes a quiet phone call, hinting that not everything is as it seems.

The next day, Nick meets separately with a violent thief named Barry — known elsewhere as Orman. Nick shares Mike's entire plan with him, instructs him to carry out the Santa Barbara robbery himself, and tells him to keep a close watch on Mike. Nick's longer game is becoming clear: let Mike do the risky work, then rob him afterward.

Later that same evening, Mike is driving when a woman named Maya crashes into the back of his car at a red light. She snaps that she is late and that the car belongs to her boss. When she asks for his insurance information, Mike pulls out a thick stack of cash and offers to settle it on the spot, wanting to keep things simple. Maya refuses — if she does not go through the proper channels, she could lose her job. Reluctantly, Mike gives her his details. Before they part, he notices a child's car seat in the back and asks if she has kids. She explains it is her boss's car; her boss has twins. Mike says he does not have kids either. They exchange numbers and go their separate ways. Mike later texts her and asks her to dinner.

Meanwhile, the day after the robbery, Sharon — an insurance agent at a firm handling high-value clients — is sent by her boss, Phil, to liaise with the police about the diamond heist claim on behalf of jeweler Sammy Cassam. Phil also assigns her colleague Meline to take over the account of a wealthy client named Monroe, a deal Sharon had been cultivating. Sharon senses the office politics behind the move but agrees.

At the police station, Detective Lou and his partner Tilman are already deep into the investigation. They question Ben and Ali about the robbery, pointing out the suspicious timing — the one day they transport nearly $3 million is the day they get robbed. Ben denies any involvement and calls it victim blaming when the detectives ask how the robber knew his wife's name. Ali admits he fired his gun but says it misfired. Lou is already forming a theory: this is the same criminal he has been tracking for months — someone who hacks jewelers' communications to know exactly what is being transported and when, cuts cameras in advance, operates near the 101 freeway, and vanishes without a trace of unnecessary violence.

Separately, Lou and Tilman also question Sammy, who is offended by any suggestion of fraud. He insists he has run his store for twenty-seven years and expanded to three locations — why would he risk everything now? He explains that he did not call anyone about the delivery; he only sent an email. Lou immediately understands the danger: if Mike had hacked his email, he would have known every detail of the shipment.

Lou takes this further at the station, mapping out 219 robberies from the past four years. He filters out those involving violence, small values, no armored vehicle, or left-behind DNA evidence. What remains forms a clear pattern along the 101 freeway. Lou presents his theory to his lieutenant: one careful, methodical criminal is behind all of it. The lieutenant shuts him down. Several of those cases already have suspects, and reopening them would damage the department's clearance rate. Lou walks away frustrated but convinced.

Sharon meets Lou at a café to discuss the Cassam robbery. She pushes for polygraph tests for both the jeweler and the courier. Lou questions whether the insurance company is after justice or simply looking to avoid a large payout. The conversation becomes a debate about wealth and corruption. Lou argues it fits the pattern of an inside job. Sharon argues that the rich clients her firm protects are not as clean as they appear — which gives Lou yet another angle to consider.

At a diner, Mike is paying a hacker named Devon to dig into Sharon's social media, email, calendar, and phone messages. He is not only planning robberies — he is studying the insurance side of the operation as well, looking for the right person to work with from the inside.

While all of this is unfolding, Barry carries out the Santa Barbara job. He tracks a courier to a jewelry store, storms inside with his gun out, and discovers the briefcase is handcuffed to the courier's wrist. When Barry demands the key, the courier stalls, claiming it is in his car. Barry looks outside and sees no car, which enrages him. He beats the courier until he admits the key is on a chain around his neck. Barry gets the case open, then notices additional jewelry in the display cabinets. He grabs an employee by the hair, forces her to unlock them, fills a bag with everything he can carry, and escapes.

At the station, Lou reviews the Santa Barbara footage carefully. The location and timing match his predicted pattern perfectly, but the behavior does not. His suspect never uses violence. This robbery was chaotic and brutal. Lou concludes either the criminal changed tactics or someone else carried it out — and he leans strongly toward the latter.

Mike confronts Nick about the Santa Barbara job. He demands his share, since it was his plan. Nick argues that Mike stepped away, so he gave it to someone else. Mike makes it clear this is not about money — it is about trust. If it ever happens again, their partnership is over. Nick fires back, telling Mike he would be nothing without him. Mike walks away and cuts ties for good.

Nick responds by escalating. He meets with Barry again and lays out a new strategy: instead of doing any more robberies themselves, they will let Mike plan and execute the next heist, then rob Mike afterward and take everything. Nick gives Barry the name of Mike's hacker, Devon, and tells him to watch that connection — Mike will eventually appear.

Soon after, Mike collects new information from Devon. As he leaves, Barry secretly attaches a tracker to Mike's car. Back at his apartment, Mike studies Sharon's schedule and personal details in preparation for an approach.

The next day, Mike engineers a casual encounter with Sharon outside, complimenting her car. They introduce themselves to each other with a handshake. They then have a little conversation about the car they both drive. The connection feels natural. After that, they get into their cars and drive away.

That evening, Maya comes to Mike's place. She notices how empty it feels — no photos, no personal history, nothing that reveals who he is. She turns on music and pulls him into a dance, joking that someone needs to teach him how to be human. The evening grows more intimate, and she stays the night.

The following night, Mike steps out onto the balcony and spots a faint light in the distance that gives away Barry's position. He watches Barry leave on his bike, then rushes to his car and searches it until he finds the tracker. He removes it immediately and calls to arrange a new apartment.

At the same time, Barry tracks down Devon and corners him, demanding to know everything he has been doing for Mike. Meanwhile, Detective Lou finally locates Mike's abandoned getaway car in a parking garage. The cracked mirror and glass shards confirm it is the vehicle from the robbery. Forensics sweep the car and find a single drop of blood. Lou sends it for DNA testing, hopeful for the first time in a while.

Mike later arranges to cross paths with Sharon at an art museum, pretending it is a coincidence. She remembers him from their earlier meeting. They share a drink, and conversation flows naturally. When Sharon explains that her job has taught her to read people, Mike asks her to read him. She says he looks controlled, like someone who grew up without stability — too much money and time, but clearly not born with either. Mike grows uncomfortable and changes the subject. He then admits their meeting has never been a coincidence. He knows about her — eleven years at the same company, the best at what she does, still not made a partner. He tells her he partners with people who provide him with information to plan his robberies, and he always makes sure nobody gets hurt or traced. Sharon is offended at the suggestion of betraying her integrity. She stands up to leave. Mike tells her that if she ever changes her mind, she should post a photo of the beach on Instagram, and he will reach out.

When Sharon leaves, Mike spots Barry watching from outside the bar and decides to go after him. The two race through the streets at dangerous speeds, weaving through traffic and making sudden turns. A bus cuts between them, but when it passes, Barry is still there. They exchange a hard look before the chase continues. Eventually, Barry crashes his bike into another car and runs into a nearby shop. Mike follows him inside. Barry tries to play innocent, but Mike gets aggressive, shoving him against the refrigerator and pressing him for answers. Even when Barry bites his hand, Mike does not let go. With a gun pressed against him, Barry admits that Nick sent him. Mike warns that if he sees either of them again, they will not walk away.

Around this time, Sharon runs into Lou at a yoga class. Their conversation is light until Lou receives a call about suspicious vehicles near a jewelry store. He rushes to the scene and arrives to find another detective has already shot a fleeing suspect. When Lou removes the mask, it is a teenager. As Lou looks around, the other detective checks on the boy and reports that he is armed. Lou looks again and sees a gun has appeared in the boy's hand — he is certain it was not there a moment ago. Back at the station, Lou tells the lieutenant exactly what he saw. The lieutenant protects his men and reveals that Tilman has already agreed to give a consistent statement. Lou is told to align with the official version. He refuses. All three detectives are suspended pending investigation.

As Lou clears out his desk, a report arrives — the DNA results from the blood found in the getaway car. The match is a name: Jason Bixes. The last record on file dates back to when he was eight years old, pulled from a foster care intake. After that, the identity disappears entirely.

At the insurance office, Meline is praised for closing Monroe's massive wedding policy at the Beverly Wilshire — including coverage for over $5 million in diamond gifts. Sharon goes to her boss, Mark, to press once more about her partnership. He postpones it again with a cutting comment about her age, implying that wealthy clients prefer someone younger. Sharon finally sees the truth: the promotion is never coming.

She goes to the beach and posts a photo of her feet on Instagram. Mike gets the alert immediately and goes to meet her. Sharon tells him about an upcoming delivery: a courier from Antwerp will bring watches and gems worth $5.5 million to a billionaire's wedding at the Beverly Wilshire. The buyer — Monroe — is paying cash to avoid taxes, meaning nearly $1 million in cash will also be present at the venue. Total value: around $11 million. Sharon wants $3 million as her cut. He asks what changed her mind, and after a pause, Sharon admits that sometimes you realize you do not have as much time left as you thought. Mike agrees to do it. He gives her a disposable phone and instructs her to destroy the SIM card after every call. She is surprised by his intensity, but he insists that caution is everything.

That night, Mike has dinner with Maya and tells her he will need to leave town for work. He asks her to wait. Maya is tired of it. She says she likes him but does not know him. Mike talks about growing up without choices, about money being the only way out when you have nothing. Maya tells him she thinks he already has everything he needs. Then she leaves.

Meanwhile, Lou visits the address listed under the name James Davis, the identity linked to the DNA. A woman named Anne answers the door. Lou introduces himself and asks if she knows James. Her reaction tells him she does. Later, Mike receives a voicemail from Anne telling him they need to talk. He calls her back immediately. She tells him the police came by asking questions and claimed to be concerned about his safety. When Anne passes the phone to Lou, Mike hangs up without a word. Now he knows the investigation is closing in.

Days later, Sharon obtains the full security details for the delivery — the guard's file, the courier's itinerary, and the timing of the arrival, expected on the Friday or Saturday before the Sunday wedding. She sends the file to Mike. But when she gets home that night, Barry is waiting. He grabs her, hits her, and threatens far worse if she does not tell him everything she and Mike are planning. Terrified, Sharon tells him everything.

The next day, Sharon does not participate in yoga but waits outside until the class ends to find Lou. She shows him her bruises and confesses everything — her involvement with Mike, the plan, the money. Lou warns her that, by her own account, she is part of a felony conspiracy. If he takes this through official channels, she could lose her career and her freedom. For her safety, he tells her not to return home and offers her his place temporarily. He asks her for every detail she knows about Mike.

Lou returns to the evidence room and quietly pockets the fake diamonds from the earlier robbery. He is already piecing together a private plan.

On the day of the operation, Mike drives to the airport and, following Sharon's information, intercepts the security guard assigned to the courier. He threatens the guard's family and takes his car and phone to assume his identity. On the plane, Mike has already located the real diamond agent and briefed him. He walks out of the arrivals hall and steps into the agent's role. Unbeknownst to Mike, Lou has taken the real guard's place and is waiting to be picked up as the second escort.

The two drive to the Beverly Wilshire, making polite small talk along the way — Lou steering the conversation casually, both men watching each other carefully. Meanwhile, Barry has slipped into the hotel disguised as a member of the kitchen staff.

Sharon, still at the office, cannot stop tracking the courier's flight on her phone. She finally loses her composure and storms into a colleague's office, confronting her about the lies that management feeds new employees — the promises of advancement, the manipulation, the way the firm uses young women to win over wealthy older clients. After turning the same fury on her boss directly, Sharon walks out of the building with her head held high.

At the penthouse suite, Mike and Lou arrive at the wedding gathering. Mike pulls out his gun and orders Monroe and his security team to their knees. Monroe's fiancée, Adrienne, is terrified and confirms that the cash is inside the safe. Mike forces Monroe to open it and takes out the money. He then asks Lou to open the briefcase containing the jewels. Lou opens it — and pulls out the gun he had hidden inside earlier. He points it at Mike and identifies himself as a detective. The two hold each other at gunpoint in a tense standoff. Mike says he has never hurt anyone and does not intend to start now.

Then Barry bursts through the door. He grabs Mike, disarms him, and turns his own gun on Lou. Then Barry snaps and shoots Monroe. He demands that Lou slide the jewel case toward him, but grows increasingly agitated knowing a detective has seen his face. In the chaos, Mike gets hold of the gun he took from Lou and shoots Barry dead.

When it is over, Lou tells Mike he knows exactly who he is — the 101 robber — and that he will make sure he never works again. Mike counters calmly, turning to Monroe: if the police investigate the cash and jewelry too closely, they will uncover tax evasion and the illegal importation of undeclared stones. Monroe understands the threat immediately. Lou calls for backup and reports two victims down. Monroe, furious and wounded, threatens to go to the police regardless. Lou stays composed and reminds him what a thorough investigation would actually mean for him. Monroe's fiancée scolds him into silence. Monroe agrees to cooperate with the cover story.

On the street below, Mike walks away as police cars surround the hotel.

In the days that follow, Lou rides a bus carrying the real diamonds. He visits Sharon and gives her a portion of the stones, telling her she has truly earned them. She shows him a photo Mike sent — a message meant for the detective. Lou goes to the location in the image and finds Mike's vintage car waiting with the keys inside. He gets in and drives away.

Across town, Maya is at her office when an envelope arrives. Inside is an old childhood photograph of Mike — a boy in a foster home with nothing. On the back, in simple handwriting, he apologizes and asks for one more chance. Maya smiles and goes looking for him.

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Cast Of Crime 101 (2026)

Chris Hemsworth as Davis

Mark Ruffalo as Lou

Barry Keoghan as Ormon

Peter Banifaz as  Ben Haddad

Babak Tafti as Ali

Payman Maadi as Sammy Kassem

Halle Berry as Sharon

Hossein Mardani as Masoud

Jennifer Jason Leigh as Angie

Tate Donovan as Monroe

Andra Nechita as Adrienne

Corey Hawkins as Tillman

Crosby Fitzgerald as Madeleine

Patrick Mulvey as Phil

Nick Nolte as Money

Hanako Footman as Lisa

Paul Adelstein as Mark

Devon Bostick as Devon

More Info

Director: Bart Layton

Writers: Bart Layton - Don Winslow

Genre: Crime - Drama - Thriller

Release Date: February 13, 2026

Countries of Origin: United States - United Kingdom

Filming Locations: United States

Production Companies: Amazon MGM Studios - Working Title Films - RAW - Wild State - The Story Factory

Estimated Budget: $90,000,000

Runtime: 2 hours 20 minutes