The Amateur (2025)

User Review

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  ScreenZealots

  5 / 10

  Director James Hawes‘ “The Amateur” is one of those movies you can tell was adapted from a novel — not because it’s overflowing with layered subplots or deep character introspection, but because it feels like it’s carrying a little too much narrative baggage.
  
  Based on Robert Littell’s 1981 book of the same name, it’s a story that has a few too many narrative complexities to make a wholly successful jump from page to screen. As a result, there are scenes and side stories that don’t always serve the pacing. At times the film drags, stretching what could have been a taut thriller into something a bit more bloated. Despite some minor hiccups, the core story is engaging, entertaining, and kept me guessing throughout.
  
  The plot follows Charlie Heller (Rami Malek), a brilliant but socially awkward CIA code breaker who works with other computer nerds in the basement at the Agency’s Langley headquarters. His quiet life is shattered when his wife (Rachel Brosnahan) is killed in a London terrorist attack while on a business trip. When the CIA refuses to act despite having insider information on the murder, Heller takes justice into his own hands, using his intelligence skills to outwit both the terrorists and his own government in a quest for revenge. His journey for justice takes him all over the globe to track down the killers, and he has meticulous plans to take them out on his own.
  
  The film has a classic rogue agent setup but with a tech twist. This isn’t a thrill-a-minute type of spy film, but more of a measured revenge tale. The story itself is absolutely implausible (and on multiple occasions, borderline ridiculous), so a strong suspension of disbelief is required. It’s undeniably entertaining, however.
  
  Malek feels like a prime example of perfect casting here. He’s not your typical hero (or a muscle-bound hit man), but that’s what makes it work. His unconventional presence and offbeat charisma bring a different energy to a role that would’ve felt generic in someone else’s hands. He’s believable as the calculated, grieving loner whose mind is his deadliest weapon.
  
  Considering its billing as a revenge thriller, “The Amateur” is not particularly thrilling. Its title is as forgettable as some of its plot turns. The leading man can be a bit of an acquired taste. The story is uneven and the plot farfetched. Despite all of this, it’s a satisfying enough film that delivers enough entertainment value to warrant a mild recommendation.
  
  By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

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