Crime 101 is ready to claim its place in the pantheon of crime films.
One of the new films of 2026, Crime 101based on the short story of the same name by Don Winslow, is billed as a gripping heist thriller that could make for a perfect date night this upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend. And, with Marvel actors Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo and Barry Keoghan among its A-list cast, it certainly has the star power to put butts in seats.
Heat (1995)
Where to stream: Hulu and Plex (United States); Netflix and Disney+ (UK and Australia)
Runtime: 2 hours and 50 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes (RT) Score: 84% (reviews); 94% (audience)
“If you’re filming in Los Angeles, it’s hard not to look beyond Heatright?” Layton said. “For most people, I think it’s the pinnacle of the whole genre. It’s infinitely brilliant and we can see it again.”
He’s not wrong. The nearly three-hour crime drama is a timeless film that has influenced countless entertainment and pop culture properties, including Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and the universally popular Batman. Grand Theft Auto video game franchise. Damn, Heat became so ingrained in the zeitgeist upon its release in the mid-1990s that it actually inspired real-life crimes, including the 1997 North Hollywood shooting.
For those who may not have seen it, the groundbreaking film directed by Michael Mann follows Lt. Vincent Hanna’s (Al Pacino) relentless pursuit of professional thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) after a heist led by McCauley goes wrong. Initiate a captivating game of cat and mouse as Mann shows off his mastering skills behind the camera and Pacino and De Niro display their undeniable talents in front of it.
Bullitt (1968)
Look on it
Where to stream: Hoopla (United States); rent or buy (UK); HBO Max (Australia)
Runtime: 1 hour and 53 minutes
RT score: 98% (reviews); 85% (audience)
“We wanted to bring that style of film back to the big screen,” Layton revealed of Bullittthe Steve McQueen vehicle from the 60s.
Based on the 1963 novel by Rupert Fish Mute witnessit stars McQueen as Frank Bullitt, a San Francisco police detective who leads the investigation into the murder of a witness he was assigned to protect.
A film tailor-made to showcase McQueen’s natural acting abilities, Bullitt is best known for its gripping car chase that was way ahead of its time. Indeed, the 1968 Academy Award winner for Best Editing set the benchmark for chase sequences upon its release, with the setting regularly appearing on “best of” lists and being described as “the one, the first, the grandfather, the chase at the top of almost every list” by Time magazine. While Crime 101 is expected to feature its own vehicle-based chase sequences, BullittThe influence of will certainly be felt.
The Sting (1973)
Look on it
Where to stream: Netflix (United States); rent or buy (UK); Paramount+, Foxtel and Binge (Australia)
Runtime: 2 hours and 9 minutes
RT score: 93% (reviews); 95% (audience)
A crime from 1973, The sting “It was a really formative film for me,” Layton said – and anyone who watched it on one of the world’s best streaming services will agree that it ranks among the best films in the genre.
Starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, it tells the story of professional con artists Henry Gondorff and Johnny Hooker, who join forces to swindle mob boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw) out of a large sum of money.
Another big screen adaptation of a literary work – The sting is based on David Maurer’s 1940 book The Big Con: The Story of the Confidential Manwhich documents the lives of real-life con artists – it was filmmaker George Roy Hill’s second time directing Newman and Redford. Hill had worked alongside the famous actors four years earlier in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It is therefore no surprise that The sting proved to be another success for the trio after the aforementioned 1969 buddy western film.
Thief (1981)
Look on it
Where to stream: Fubo, Plex and MGM+ (United States); Mubi and MGM+ (UK); MGM+ (Australia)
Duration: 2 hours and 2 minutes
RT score: 80% (critical); 81% (audience)
“I think most people would immediately mention any work by Michael Mann,” Layton added of the author behind crime genre classics such as Collateralplus other multi-award winning features like The Last of the Mohicans.
It is Thiefa 1981 film that was only the second film Mann ever directed, which ranks last in Layton’s all-time favorite crime films. Led by James Caan, it introduces us to Frank, a jewel thief and ex-con who tries to escape his life of crime.
Despite the spoilers, it’s hard not to compare Caan’s protagonist to that of James Davis, Crime 101the main character of, played by Hemsworth. If you’d like to get an idea of the story and themes that might be at play in Layton’s latest cinematic offering, Thief Well worth streaming on MGM+, which you can add to your Prime Video subscription as a channel add-on.
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