(***)

“I need to be in your line of work,” she says coyly. Then she warily observes, “But you can’t seem to look me in the eye.” So, what’s with this dude?  

In an era of superhero movies, family animation films and blockbuster sequels, it’s nice when adults get a smart crime/thriller thrown their way. That’s what writer/director Bart Layton has in mind. He’s fully digested author Don Winslow’s noir novella Crime 101. Fully understands the plot and assignment. A chain of jewel-heists in Southern California baffles the L.A.P.D., now what?  Layton, who finetuned his thievery chops with his 2018 film American Animals, seems quite skilled at turning the book into a tense, slick thriller: Meet genre expectations, create three-dimensional characters with twisted lives, add plot surprises, stir and pour. 

Davis (Chris Hemsworth) has a secret. He’s robbing jewelers of their precious gems and not leaving much of a trace. Before they leave their store laden with baubles, he’s two steps ahead ready to pounce. His crimes don’t go unnoticed by cops, but they’re confounded. Detective “Lou” Lubesnik (Mark Ruffalo) notices a pattern. The heists are taking place along Route 101, aka the Ventura Highway. Parts of it are a major commuter artery connecting greater Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley. His superiors, and most disappointedly even his partner Tillman (Corey Hawkins, The Piano Lesson), are skeptical of his findings.  

Meanwhile on the other side of the crime spree, a high-end insurance firm specializes in protecting extremely wealthy clients, their expensive property, valuables and jewels—or reimbursing. Sharon Coombs (Halle Berry) is a claims adjuster at the company. A woman of color, middle-aged and trying to stay relevant in a business that has a glass ceiling for maturing people who look like her. Sharon’s years of experience merits a coveted partnership. But there’s someone younger than her waiting in the wings to be the “new” Sharon. 

All the stealing, dealing, investigating, car chasing and double crossing provide enough constant tension to keep what’s on view alluring from beginning to end. Mix in glamour, the jewelry trade and a handsome cast and L.A. comes alive. Hemsworth and Berry have chemistry. Berry and Ruffalo have chemistry. Ruffalo and Hemsworth have chemistry. The triad’s intertwining lives and professions are intriguingly pulled together in ways one might not expect. Layton weaves their narratives into a bejeweled production. A dazzler polished by a savvy behind-the-camera crew who make touring around the City of Angels and gawking at its privileged inhabitants fun. 

The classy homes and sleek offices (production designer Scott Dougan, Bridge of Spies) and clothes that look like they were snatched off of shelves from Rodeo Drive stores (costume designer Jenny Eagan, KnivesOut) speak volumes. The city hasn’t glistened this brightly since the ‘90s. Traffic jams, downtown skyscrapers and sunny beaches appear to be under a California halo (director of photography ErikAlexander Wilson). Electronic, bass-heavy music pulsates softly or loudly depending on the mood (composerBlanck Mass). And smooth editing (editors Jacob Secher Schulsinger and Julian Hart) helps the 139 minutes roll by as pleasantly and precariously as a drive down Santa Monica Blvd to the beach—while being followed by a cop car. 

The very photogenic Hemsworth isn’t Thor this time. He’s a very tidy, nattily dressed and calm crook who plans his robberies down to the last detail. Threatening violence more than actually doing it. His steely manner is balanced by a loneliness he can’t cure. Swiping right and left on call-girl sites indicates an issue with intimacy and normal relationships. Something’s wrong with him. He’s wounded inside. Hemsworth gets to the heart of this lost soul with a vulnerability that makes him accessible and audience friendly. 

Berry has some scenes in the movie sans makeup. She’s unmarried, still has a hot body, getting older and trying to stay relevant. Facing issues women of her ilk encounter in business. Female audiences of a certain age will relate to her drive, feel her hurt as she’s demeaned by younger-than-her executives and love her grit. Especially when she tells her boss off in one of the movie’s most emotionally explosive scenes. Ruffalo brings his guy-next-door charm to a detective who looks like he hasn’t bathed in days. The “cop alienated from his department” gimmick is a fragmented cliché. But the way Lou is developed by Ruffalo makes the man feel whole. Other cast members (Hawkins, Barry Keoghan, Nick Nolte and Monica Barbaro) complete a very talented ensemble. 

Layton is the puppeteer pulling the strings. Not ashamed to give genre fans what they want. He doesn’t break the mold, he cements it. In a very retro way, like the 1995 hit Heat. This glossy rendition is nearly as entertaining as that Michael Mann classic. Only spawning a few questions: In the movie’s opening crime, Davis is in a vehicle trying to escape. Driving recklessly down streets, cutting off cars, dodging and weaving through traffic. But there are no cops in pursuit. Wouldn’t a smart thief want this escape to be unobtrusive? Lou meets Sharon in a yoga class. Coincidence? Is it the only mind-body exercise class in all of L.A.? Was he tracking her? It isn’t clear. Even these foibles don’t tarnish this thriller’s patent leather sheen.

Theater audiences and Prime Video streaming fans’ eyes will be glued to the screen for the duration. They’ll become so enthralled they’ll wonder how they can get into Davis’s line of work, get involved in a $11M payday—and not get caught.  

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5y-cziwmMw
Photos by: Merrick Morton and Dean Rogers
Visit Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.