A highly intelligent CIA operative takes matters into his own hands when governmental corruption inhibits him from achieving justice against his wife’s murderer in The Amateur.
Back in the 80s, a film was made that was barely a drop in a rather overwhelming ocean of movies and television series about governmental conspiracies and espionage. That film was called The Amateur, and while it managed to carve out a small fanbase for itself, it never touched on greatness. Flash forward a bit and we get a breath of fresh air in the genre from the Jason Bourne franchise, but when it fizzled out, there was a bit of a hole left behind.
And that’s where this remake comes in.
After spending almost 20 years being bounced around developmental hell in Hollywood, The Amateur is finally back, and yes, it’s better than ever.
That’s not to say it’s perfect by any stretch, but taking the source material and using just the right dose of originality, combined with dashes of Bourne and a touch of Man on Fire, The Amateur is everything you could want from a spy thriller, and it almost feels like it’s from a bygone era of film. James Hawes takes his time with the buildup in a way that some will find dragging, but the quieter moments towards the beginning allow for something to develop that most action and thriller themed films tend to skip over; an intense emotional connection to the character we’re joining on the journey.
While the usual tropes of the genre follow a pretty cut and paste formula, The Amateur steps to the beat of its own drum, creating a character in Charlie whom we care about, and root for, up against foreign terrorists and corrupt American operatives alike. And a large part of this credit goes to Rami Malek. Starting out with just enough of a glimpse into the loving relationship Charlie has with his wife, only to rip it away abruptly, we feel his pain through Malek’s stellar performance, and I found myself crying right alongside him. And then following in his footsteps when he got angry, too. We’re also treated to Rachel Brosnahan as the innocent and caring wife, Laurence Fishburne giving us more of what he’s always good at giving, as well as Holt McCallany as his signature “I’m an asshole and I know it” archetype, and a personal favorite of mine, Catriona Balfe, who I wish would’ve stuck around a little longer, or shown up earlier, as her character wound up being one of the highlights. My only complaint with the cast is Jon Bernthal, whom I adore, and was happy to see, but found myself confused as to why he was there. His character served absolutely no purpose, and felt like filler. He deserves better than that. And he needed a shave.
Still, with Malek’s incredible and moving skill as an actor, and a story that keeps you interested despite a slower pace, it’s an easy film to get lost into. The visuals are on point, the effects are extremely well done and realistic (specifically a scene in which one character is hit by a vehicle) and the score is both unobtrusive and scene setting. That said, it does lean away from the modern ultra violence and action heaviness that plagues modern films, and we never get a truly “explosive set piece” sequence, so it does admittedly feel a bit lacking in that department.
All in all, while some may be put off by the pacing, duration, and general lightness of action and violence, I found myself enthralled, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. It’s not often an action film can get me to cry unless it’s a group of Russians killing a helpless puppy, but I’ll be damned if Malek didn’t do it again. One Oscar isn’t enough for this guy.