Charlie Heller is a brilliant CIA decoder whose world comes crashing down when his wife dies in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, his intelligence becomes the ultimate weapon as he embarks on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible.
Director: James Hawes
Cast: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, Laurence Fishburne
Release Date: April 11, 2025
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, and language.
Runtime: 2h 3m
Review:
The Amateur is a solid, albeit predictable, revenge thriller elevated by a nuanced, tortured turn from Rami Malek who channels some old Mr. Robot energy. James Hawes directs the film with a steady hand, giving it a polished look and feel that harkens back to old school spy thrillers. He moves the film at a steady pace which makes for a breezy two hours taking full advantage of its European locales. The set up is decidedly simple and there's a steady sense of tension built up throughout even though you never get the sense that Malek's Charlie Heller won't achieve his ultimate goals. Malek though manages to add so much more depth and pathos to his character that makes his quest more intriguing. It goes without saying that Malek doesn't look like an action star and the film smartly avoids trying to make him into one instead leaning into his introverted intellect. Even as the kills get more grandiose and ridiculous, Malek manages to keep his character's motivation grounded through his haunting desire to avenge his wife, an underused Rachel Brosnahan. While Malek delivers strong work throughout the film doesn't take full advantage of its supporting cast's talents. Laurence Fishburne gets most screentime proving to be more than capable of pulling off an experienced black bag agent even in his 60's but your left wishing the script had given him a bit more to do. It’s a similar story with Caitríona Balfe, sporting a spotty Russian accent, who's a dark web contact that assist Heller and shares the loss of a spouse. Their relationship seems ripe for exploration, but the script never delves too deeply into it before moving on. Holt McCallany, Jon Bernthal and Michael Stuhlbarg all have small supporting roles that feel like they should be more impactful than they are, but the script gives them such thin characterization that you kind of wonder why they bothered casting such capable performers only not to use them. These missed opportunities keep The Amateur from becoming something truly special as opposed to the enjoyable but forgettable thriller it is.
B-
