From the first five minutes of this made-for-TV movie, it looks like Murder 101 is a brooding, sickening, ultra-violent sensationalistic serial killer film. In reality, it turns out to be a highly entertaining murder mystery with more unpredictable plot twists that one could hope for. Pierce Brosnan is an English professor teaching a course on writing detective thrillers, when, it seems, one of the students applies the lessons to real life. Amidst the generally successful roller coaster ride of suspense and intrigue is but a single idiotic scene involving a police officer who just might open the trunk of a car where someone is hiding. No matter; TV movies are rarely this engaging.