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The Amateur Review: Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne led revenge spy-drama engages and impresses despite its generic story and screenplay
The Amateur, directed by James Hawes and starring Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne among others, plays in theatres across India from 10th April, 2025. Read our review.
Name: The Amateur
Director: James Hawes
Cast: Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne
Writer: Ken Nolan, Gary Spinelli
Rating: 3/5
Plot
The Amateur is based on the novel written by Robert Littell in 1981, of the same name. Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) is a CIA decoder. His happy life with wife Sarah Heller is short lived as she gets murdered in a London terrorist attack. Since his superiors, despite all the resources that they have, decide not to investigate into the untimely death of Sarah, Charlie is forced to take matters in his own hands. He blackmails Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) to train him become a spy agent. He then hunts down all of his wife's killers and conspirators from across the globe. He attempts at killing the conspirators in a way that no traces of him are found.
Will Charlie Heller be able to avenge his wife or will he go down trying to kill all the terrorists? Watch The Amateur to find that out.
What Works for The Amateur
The Amateur makes for an interesting watch, although the plot is not too unique. A CIA coder turning into a spy agent to avenge his wife is definitely a good one-liner to attract audiences. Unlike most spy-thrillers that are high on action, The Amateur is more talk-heavy, and that's not bad at all. The slow burn treatment helps build the tension, well. As an audience, you feel Charlie’s pain and root for him throughout the film.
James Hawes’ vision is clear and grounded. It’s more about heart than the explosions. The personal angle sets it apart from big spy films, which are generally about the country or the world and not something as specific as revenge for the death of one's wife. Cinematography of the film is top notch, with London and Istanbul being captured tastefully on camera. The film’s intimacy makes it relatable. Malek’s quiet intensity carries the story. The supporting actors add depth but never steal focus from the main plot.
What Doesn’t Work For The Amateur
The Amateur could have been more thrilling. Action scenes are few and far between. Although that's not a huge concern, the intensity definitely takes a beating. The plot isn’t very unique either, if you see it more as a revenge saga, than as a spy movie. The climax twist feel predictable and thus it lacks shock value. While all is good, it lacks that extra spark to stand out and become a timeless revenge spy-drama.
Watch the The Amateur Trailer
Performances in The Amateur
Rami Malek is the heart of this film. He plays Charlie with raw emotion. His grief feels real and not forced. You believe he’s a coder, not a fighter. His quirky charm works perfectly. Rachel Brosnahan is good as Sarah, although she is in the film just for a brief. Laurence Fishburne as Henderson, the tough CIA trainer, brings power to his role. Caitríona Balfe and Jon Bernthal and other supporting actors impress too.
Final Verdict of The Amateur
The Amateur is a good espionage thriller, although not great. Malek’s presence is more than convincing to make you keep watching the movie. James Hawes’ vision makes everything that Charlie feels, real. While the plot could be more original and certainly more thrilling, it’s a nice change from loud spy films. It focuses on one man’s fight and not the world. Fans of intimate thrillers will enjoy it.
The Amateur releases in theatres across India on 10th April, 2025. How excited are you to watch The Amateur?
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