Movie Review

Chris Hemsworth tries to steal diamonds and hearts in Crime 101

Chris Hemsworth in Crime 101.

Photo courtesy of Amazon Content Services

The career of actor Chris Hemsworth is a curious one, as it feels like he’s a huge star (mostly from playing Thor in Marvel movies) and not at the same time, with most of the non-MCU movies featuring him in a lead role failing to become big successes. But he still has a certain presence about him, which is why he’s being given another chance to prove his star power in the new thriller, Crime 101.

Hemsworth plays Davis, a talented thief who knows how to get what he wants without resorting to violence. When a job early in the movie turns slightly sideways, it makes him think twice about working with his handler (Nick Nolte), who seems to prefer someone with a stronger touch, like the up-and-coming Ormon (Barry Keoghan).

Davis is the main character, but two others who come into his orbit get their own subplots. Lou (Mark Ruffalo) is a slightly schlubby LAPD detective who’s convinced he knows the pattern of an unknown thief that likes to hit places close to Highway 101. Sharon (Halle Berry) works for a high-end insurance agency known for working with ultra-wealthy clients, the types who might be a great target for a thief like Davis.

Written and directed by Bart Layton, the film has a decent propulsion to it that comes with most crime thrillers. Davis and Ormon represent the yin and the yang of criminal approaches, and and it’s interesting to see the juxtaposition between the two as their simmering rivalry heats up over the course of the film. When the film commits to actually showing its crimes, it has an excitement that’s worth watching.

Unfortunately, Layton displays a real lack of focus, taking the audience into subplots with each of the three main characters that prove unnecessarily distracting. Lou’s marriage problems may explain his disheveled appearance, but there’s no need to see him deal with them with wife Angie (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Sharon’s troubles with her male-dominated company prove slightly pivotal, but still don’t merit the time put into exploring them.

The most baffling subplot is Davis pursuing a relationship with Maya (Monica Barbaro), a woman he randomly meets. At different points in the movie, including many of his interactions with Maya, Davis seems like the most uncomfortable, antisocial person in the world. And yet he somehow morphs into a suave smooth-talker who’s able to convince anyone to do what he wants at other key points, making it unclear exactly what kind of person he really is.

Hemsworth does relatively well in the lead role, but he’s still missing that certain something to make his character, and therefore the movie, truly compelling. The rest of the cast is fine, too, but each of them seem to be putting in just the minimal amount of effort to make the film watchable. Ruffalo and Barbaro come off the best, but with the talent in the cast (11 Oscar nominations and one win), they could have been used better.

Crime 101 has most of the ingredients to be another great entry in the genre, and it succeeds when it actually decides to deliver on its promise. But too much of the film is spent on things that have no real bearing on plot or character development, leaving the movie in the middle of the pack.

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Crime 101 is now playing in the theaters.

movies film

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 16 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Photo by Chloe Weir

The Eagles will play at Globe Life Field in Arlington on May 16.

There will be no shortage of fun things to do in and around Dallas this weekend, with big events taking place almost every day. Choices include a different kind of home run derby, a trio of concerts (including one huge classic band), four theater productions, a movie star talking about one of his best-known films, two festivals, two comedians, a symphony concert, a car-free bike ride around Dallas, and the opening of a new art exhibition.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you want more options, check out our calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, May 14

Dallas Cowboys present Reliant Home Run Derby
At the annual Reliant Home Run Derby, various Dallas Cowboys will swing for the fences to raise money for charity. Each player will take a turn at bat until one Cowboy is declared champion, with each hit and home run earning a donation for The Salvation Army. The event takes place at Riders Field in Frisco.

Haynes Boone presents The Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit Concert
The 14th annual Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit concert is another sports-themed charity event, as it celebrates the 75th birthday of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame radio broadcaster. The evening will feature live music from Sammy Rae and The Friends and Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes, as well as live and silent auctions. Proceeds from the event at Longhorn Ballroom will benefit the Grant Halliburton Foundation.

The Firehouse Theatre presents Sister Act
When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won't be found: a convent. Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community. The musical runs through May 31 at The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch.

AT&T Performing Arts Center presents John Cusack's High Fidelity
With a body of work spanning the course of over four decades, actor John Cusack has evolved into one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and respected actors of his generation. Cusack will host a screening of one of his most popular movies, High Fidelity, followed by a live conversation — moderated by Jeff “Skin” Wade of The Ben & Skin show on 97.1 The Eagle — about his career and the making of the film, as well as a Q&A. The event takes place at Winspear Opera House.

Dead White Zombies presents Big Bird
Big Bird is a performance immersion about the transformation of the human and biological into the digital and artificial. A forest of screens. A birth canal. A Miao shaman and an AI girlfriend who doesn't know if she exists. Big Bird is Dead White Zombies' most ambitious production yet — part ritual, part theater, part something that defies categorization entirely. The production runs through May 30 at The Cedars Union.

Ochre House Theater present Immovable Beast
Immovable Beast is a retelling of Moving Creatures, written and directed by Matthew Posey. It's a politically charged satire about an evil and intolerable oligarch and his tyrannical rise to power. The Baron is a soured, bloated old goat who lords over a once rich and beautiful region that is now a wasteland, due to the Baron’s greediness. People suffer, and their lives have become intolerable under the reckless hand of this narcissistic ruler. The production runs at Ochre House Theater through May 30.

Friday, May 15

City of Grapevine presents 42nd Annual Main Street Fest
Main Street Fest is a family-friendly festival where visitors can enjoy food, shopping, a KidZone, live music, a carnival and midway, Grapevine Art Project Market, and more. Headlining the live entertainment lineup will be country singer Jack Ingram, who will close the night on Saturday. The event runs through Sunday in the heart of Historic Downtown Grapevine.

Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival
The annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival will feature live performances by nearly 50 bands, including headlining bands like George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Kaleo, Tonic, Justin Moore, Blues Traveler, and OK Go. The festival also includes the Singer Songwriter contest; Performers Row featuring strolling entertainers, buskers, and acrobats; and more. The event takes place through Sunday in Galatyn Park Urban Center outside of Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.

Improv Arlington presents Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones has gone from a brilliant joke writer to a chaos-powered storyteller with receipts. He started out writing for comedic icons like Martin Lawrence, Sinbad, Jay Leno, Colin Quinn, and Ben Stiller. A founding writer and original cast member of MADtv, Jones blends storytelling, razor-sharp political and cultural commentary, and the kind of jokes you think about three days later and start laughing in public like a lunatic. He'll perform four times through Saturday at Improv Arlington.

Verdigris Ensemble presents The Velveteen Rabbit
Verdigris Ensemble will present The Velveteen Rabbit, a tender, immersive musical retelling of Margery Williams’s beloved children’s story. Designed as a shared experience for children and adults alike, the semi-staged production surrounds audiences with music, storytelling, and imagination. As the Rabbit’s journey unfolds, music blooms between moments of narration, layering wonder, playfulness, and feeling while exploring timeless themes of love, belonging, and what it means to become real. There will be three performances through Saturday at Dallas Children's Theater.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand"
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will present the rarely-performed "Symphony of a Thousand" by Gustav Mahler. The 60-minute program, presented without an intermission, will feature the Dallas Symphony Chorus under the direction of Anthony Blake Clark. The concert, conducted by Fabio Luisi, will have three performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

The Avett Brothers & Mike Patton in concert
Folk rock band The Avett Brothers are on the verge of their 25th anniversary in the music business, having released their debut album in 2002. Mike Patton has served as the lead singer of the rock band Faith No More off-and-on since 1988. The two entities have now joined forces the collaborative album, AVTT/PTTN, which they'll showcase at this concert at Winspear Opera House.

Saturday, May 16

Dallas Bike Ride
Dallas Bike Ride is a 20-mile ride that is the city’s only car-free social ride, a celebration of cycling and community. Participants can cruise at their own pace past some of Dallas’ most iconic landmarks. There will be live music and entertainment to keep participants moving throughout the ride. The Finish Festival will feature live music, food trucks, a beverage garden, and more. The ride starts and ends at Dallas City Hall.

Nasher Sculpture Center presents Nic Nicosia: "Everyday Surreal" opening day
Nic Nicosia: "Everyday Surreal" is a survey of the last 25 years of the artist’s five-decade career that reveals the material and conceptual evolution of one of Dallas' most important living artists. The exhibition will feature over 70 three-dimensional works, drawings, photographs, and films made since Nicosia's mid-career survey in 1999-2000. The exhibition will remain on display at Nasher Sculpture Center through August 16.

Eagles in concert
It's been a very long goodbye for the classic rock band Eagles, who have been on their The Long Goodbye tour since 2023. But this stop at Globe Life Field in Arlington is scheduled to be officially — truly! — the last ever tour date for a band that's been existence since 1971 (they do have a six-show residency planned for The Sphere in Las Vegas later in 2026, though). If you're a fan, it will be your final chance to hear songs like "Hotel California," "Life in the Fast Lane," "Heartache Tonight," and more sung live by Don Henley and his bandmates.

Sunday, May 17

Bobby Lee: The Finally Tour
Comedian, actor, and podcast host Bobby Lee comes to Dallas as part of his first official headline tour, The Finally Tour. Best known for his tenure on MADtv and as the co-host of two comedy podcasts, Bad Friends and TigerBelly, Lee has built a global fanbase through his humor, candid storytelling, and chaotic comedic energy. He'll perform at Majestic Theatre.

Photo by Chloe Weir

The Eagles will play at Globe Life Field in Arlington on May 16.

sports fundraisers music concerts theater movies festivals comedy symphony fitness exhibitions-visual-arts event-planner