The Amateur
Directed by James Hawes
After his life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack, a brilliant but introverted CIA decoder takes matters into his own hands when his supervisors refuse to take action.
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- NiztradamusMarch 17, 2026Good action thriller with some drawbacks. Rami Malek plays his usual self, an awkward computer mastermind, this time however working for the CIA. When his wife gets killed he wants revenge but is blocked by his bosses that, very predictably but also very illogically try to kill him. It's these sort of plot holes and illogical decision making that took away from an otherwise really good movie... and the one German guy definitely never spoke a word of German before this movie shoot.
- ርልዪረJune 12, 2025What I liked most about The Amateur is that it doesn’t recycle the same formula that countless other male revenge thrillers have used for ages. The hero of this movie isn’t a former secret agent/black ops/paramilitary soldier with expert knowledge of weaponry and lethal hand-to-hand combat skills. Not that I have anything against those movies, which are fun in a “how’s he going to kill this group of heavily armed guys” sort of way. But aside from who’s dishing out the bloody justice they tend to suffer from a feeling of sameness. The Amateur, however, features a hero who fits the classical definition of a wimp. (Is calling someone a wimp permitted these days?) Played by Academy Award-winning actor Rami Malek, the only threatening thing about him is his brain, which he uses to take down the bad guys who “fridged” his wife. As such, Malek turns out to be the perfect representative for today’s computer-savvy professionals. He’s neither physically fit nor handsome, but could end you with a few keystrokes. Aside from its very non-traditional leading man, the movie does fall back on the elements that make movies like these so much fun. There are regular changes of scenery (Paris, Istanbul, Madrid, Romania, the Baltic Sea) and a who’s who supporting cast. Rachel Brosnahan, the former Mrs. Maisel and upcoming romantic interest for a gent named Superman, plays the ill-fated wife. Instead of having her disappear after her first act demise, the movie has her float in and out of the hero’s consciousness like William Wallace’s wife in Braveheart. Caitríona Balfe brings a world-weary sadness to her informant character. Julianne Nicholson has a couple of good scenes as the “over her head” CIA director. On the male side of the cast, Laurence Fishburne is as funny as he is imposing. Holt McCallany plays another devious government agent. Michael Stuhlbarg appears in the end to good effect, delivering a villain monologue with the cold, dispassionate inflections of a lifelong killer for hire. Jon Bernthal only appears in two scenes and steals them so easily that I wished he was around more. Director James Hawes, who’s worked extensively in television prior to this movie, keeps the action moving at a moderate clip. Unlike other films in this genre, where the tension continuously builds towards a heated climax, Hawes' stop-and-go pacing felt counterintuitive at first. However, it effectively puts us into the mindset of a protagonist who's emotions swing from crippling depression to lethal action. The screenplay by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli is a jumble at times with characters randomly appearing and disappearing from the story, but it always maintains focus on the tragic hero at its center. The Amateur is an entertaining alternative to the “one man wrecking crew” films. It uses Rami Malek’s geeky nature to good effect and the supporting cast are all solid. The movie doesn’t reinvent the spy thriller or the revenge fantasy but offers an interesting take on both. A well-made and entertaining film. Recommended. detroitcineaste
- Poulsen80July 19, 2025Great movie ! They dared and made a great movie. This isn't the normal Action revenge movie, this movie wants you to feel and understand the actions made. If you expect to see an action revenge movie like the movies coming out with Jason Statham, then this isn't for you. Big applause to the cast, crew and instructor , you dared to make something different than the normal Action Revenge movie, and you succeeded!
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The Amateur Trivia
The Amateur was released on April 9, 2025.
The Amateur was directed by James Hawes.
The Amateur has a runtime of 2h 3m.
The Amateur was produced by Hutch Parker, Dan Wilson, Rami Malek, Joel B. Michaels.
After his life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack, a brilliant but introverted CIA decoder takes matters into his own hands when his supervisors refuse to take action.
The key characters in The Amateur are Heller (Rami Malek), Director Moore (Holt McCallany), Caleb (Danny Sapani).
The Amateur is rated PG-13.
The Amateur is an Action, Thriller, Drama film.
The Amateur has an audience rating of 8.7 out of 10.
The Amateur had a budget of $60M.
The Amateur has made $96M at the box office.