Director: James Hawes
Writer: Ken Nolan, Gary Spinelli, Robert Littell
Stars: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Jon Bernthal
Synopsis: When his supervisors at the CIA refuse to take action after his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack, a decoder takes matters into his own hands.
The Amateur follows Charlie Heller (Bohemian Rhapsody’s Rami Malek), a cryptanalyst working in the CIA’s Decryption Department. Heller loves his job—cracking codes, busting ciphers, and decoding those pesky encrypted communications from enemies; both foreign and domestic. It’s quite the contrast to his wife: while Charlie is stuck behind a desk, slowly developing computer vision syndrome, Sarah (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Rachel Brosnahan) travels the world for her job, going on one adventure after another.
However, that all changes when his wife is one of the victims of a terrorist attack in London while attending a work conference. Charlie is wracked with guilt, not having time to have a meaningful conversation the night before when she called. Why? Heller accidentally came across an illegal and unauthorized operation sanctioned by his boss (The Iron Claw’s Holt McCallany) that even their direct superior director, O’Brien (Togo’s Julianne Nicholson), doesn’t know about. Charlie gets the run around from his superiors, who refuse substantial help.
This is where the script gives you those eye-rolling moments. Charlie blackmails the CIA, scoring cash and a crash course on becoming a deep-cover operative—which, you know, might take more than a week or two. It’s disappointing, especially considering the screenplay is based on a novel by Robert Littell and written by Ken Nolan (and Gary Spinelli), since he wrote such great films as Black Hawk Down and Only the Brave. The problem seems rooted in the source material, though the script generates enough action and suspense to help you suspend disbelief.
The Amateur was directed by James Hawes (One Life) in his feature film debut, following a successful run behind the camera on television shows like Raised by Wolves and Slow Horses. The film embraces all the classic tropes of a vengeful action thriller—particularly the story of a man seeking revenge against those who killed his wife. (I’m shocked there wasn’t a scene where he remembered her smiling under a gently billowing bedsheet.) The picture is undoubtedly compelling, even if it follows the standard genre playbook step by step.
Gloomy and ominous, sure. (It appears Martin Ruhe can only use an under-lit and depressed color palette, taking the same point of view as previous films like The Midnight Sky and The American.) This isn’t the type of film to put much time and effort into comic relief. Instead, the film throws a handful of eccentric supporting characters that come and go as they please, hardly making an impression. (You wish the supporting roles played by Jon Bernthal and Laurence Fishburne had more meat on the bone.) The film has an even tone and pace, proving that Hawes has a knack for restraint that serves the movie well.
Ultimately, in a film like this, you have to care about the character, which depends on the lead’s performance. Malik always puts an interesting spin on his performance that stands out, like hyper-focused, expressive micro-reactions, and the sudden burst of energy in the strangest places. (When you watch the film, look at what he does with his expression and sudden movement in the garage scene.) You can never take your eyes off of him. He also brings a poignant emotional resonance to the role, which is standard in a film like this.
Some may point out that The Amateur is based on a novel written back in the 1980s. However, Doug Liman and Paul Greengrass had no trouble updating The Bourne Identity franchise for modern audiences. Those films effectively explored themes of guilt, identity, and moral agency through Matt Damon’s nuanced portrayal of the titular character. In contrast, Malek’s character here feels far more one-note, resembling a dressed-up, faux-sophisticated version of Law Abiding Citizen, rather than the compelling depth in the Bourne series.
Fans of the genre expect more from films like this, particularly when following the titular character into hell (and back), which requires a personality that contrasts with Malek’s introverted portrayal. While I won’t fault the thoughtful spin on the character, I do take issue with the predictable plot and story, which feels nearly 30 minutes too long and ultimately undermines the escapist experience the film strives for.
You can watch The Amateur only in theaters starting April 11th!
