“That’s the thing about walkaway money: you have to be able to walk away.”

Visionary director Bart Layton is back with his latest film, Crime 101 , adapted from the novella by Don Winslow. This time, the director has moved away from documentary and documentary/narrative hybrids like The Imposter and American Animals , and instead crafts a thrilling, old fashioned crime drama, reminiscent of classics of the genre like Heat and The Thomas Crown Affair .

Crime 101 tells the story of Mike Davis (played by Chris Hemsworth ), a thief who pulls of a series of jewel heists along the 101 freeway in California. When his most recent heist goes awry he decides that it may be time to pull one last big score before walking away forever. Of course, all of this becomes complicated when he accidentally meets Maya ( Monica Barbaro ) who of course doesn’t know Mike’s true profession, but attempts to get him to settle down.

Meanwhile, detective Lou Lubesnick ( Mark Ruffalo ) is on the hunt for the elusive 101 jewel thief and meets up with Sharon Combs (Halle Berry), a high-rolling insurance broker who’s desperate to make partner at her firm; the same insurance broker who just so happens to be Mike’s next target.

And if that wasn’t enough, we’ve got Ormon ( Barry Keoghan ), an absolute live wire who while successfully pulling of heists leaves carnage in his wake who has been tipped off by Mike’s fence (Nick Nolte) and who will stop at nothing to beat Mike to the biggest score of his career. All of these stories and characters will eventually intersect and play out in a climactic final showdown.

Now, if all of this seems a little hard to keep track of, you’d be forgiven. This is, if I’m honest, the film’s biggest flaw. The plot is a little over-stuffed. There are a few too many threads trying to be woven together, and while I do understand why each one is necessary and what story purpose they serve, I cannot help but feel the film would have benefited from a bit of streamlining.

However, what the film lacks in narrative clarity, it certainly makes up for with an abundance of style. From its stunning cinematography by Erik Wilson to Blanck Mass’ thumping synth score, Bart Layton crafts a thrilling, entertaining film that harkens back to the crime thrillers of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, and will have you on the edge of your seat.

I sat down with my co-host of The Springfield Googolplex, Nate Storring, to discuss the film and why I think you should get yourselves to a theatre to see it on the biggest screen possible.

Crime 101 is now playing in theatres and IMAX.