Amateur

Hal Hartley's "Amateur" is an engagingly offbeat take on the "crime thriller" genre. It is also perhaps the most quietly thoughtful handling of amnesia (not as a plot trick, but as a subject) you're ever likely to see. But be warned: Hartley's refreshingly non-mainstream, detached, minimalist style takes quite some getting used to, and the ending is needlessly downbeat. (**1/2)

A chance encounter in a coffee shop between two people, both of whom are seeking their own identities (one literally, one figuratively), leads to a relationship seemingly beneficial to both, but for different reasons, in `Amateur,' written and directed by Hal Hartley. A man (Martin Donovan) wakes up one morning lying on his back in a quiet, out-of-the-way street in New York City; all he knows is that he's bleeding from the back of his head and is suffering from total amnesia. He has no identification on him; he has no idea who he is or how he came to be on that street. Dazed, he stumbles into a small coffee shop and sits down at the counter. He tries to order something, but the only money he has is Dutch, and he has no idea why. A young woman, also sitting at the counter and working on a lap-top computer, observes his plight and notices the blood on the back of his neck.

Her name is Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert); asking for some water, she cleans his injury and buys him something to eat. Isabelle, it turns out, is a former nun, having only recently left the convent after fifteen years. Rather lost herself, she is attempting to make a living by writing pornographic stories for a magazine. A self-professed nymphomaniac (though she is still a virgin), she also feels that she has a specific purpose in life, a destiny she has yet to fulfill, though she has yet to figure out what it is. But she believes that meeting this man is a sign; perhaps he's a part of whatever it is she has to do. So she decides to help him, which just may lead her to the answers she is seeking about her own life, as well.

As with all of Hartley's films, this one has a somewhat mesmerizing effect, which he exacts with a unique style of presenting his story that has to do with the look and feel of the film, the deliberate pace he establishes, and most especially the manner in which his actors deliver their lines. His performers speak with a rather stoic, matter-of-fact, understated rhythm that is engrossing in itself, very similar to the kind of cadence David Mamet employs in his films. But Hartley's method is even more pronounced, so that when one of his characters does have an emotional outburst, the underplaying that surrounds it significantly underscores the impact of it all.

Few directors have such a unique style that so vividly identifies their work; Mamet is one, Ingmar Bergman another (the three of them being part of a very select group). And though this particular film is not, perhaps, one of Hartley's best, it is still pure Hartley, with aspects that are certainly engaging and memorable, beginning with his main character, Isabelle. Talk about an off-the-wall character! And yet, within the context of the story, she comes across as quite real and believable, which says something about Huppert's ability as an actress, as well as Hartley's expertise as a director.

Huppert gives a very credible performance here, convincingly conveying that sense of confusion Isabelle obviously harbors deep within about her own life and where she's headed. She makes you realize that beyond anything else that's happening, this is essentially a person searching for a place to fit in, which is why she makes such a connection with this stranger, this man who really has no idea of who he is or where he belongs. And Huppert certainly makes Isabelle someone with whom it is easy to empathize.

Donovan, a veteran of many of Hartley's films, is very effective here also, with a very pensive, understated performance that clearly indicates an honest sense of this man's bewilderment, as does the very real caution with which he approaches his situation as he attempts to reorient himself and get on with his life. And Hartley develops the relationship between Isabelle and this man in real time-- there's no instant love affair here, as happens so often in cinematic renderings of similar situations-- which gives a ring of authenticity to the story, bizarre as it may get.

The supporting cast includes Elina Lowensohn (Sofia), Damian Young (Edward), Chuck Montgomery (Jan), Dave Simonds (Kurt) and Pamela Stewart (Officer Melville). No one can capture a sense of disenfranchisement any better than Hartley, as the characters in `Amateur' so aptly illustrate; these are people perpetually on the outside looking in, and yet there's something about them with which you will be able to relate, as well as sympathize . And that's part of Hartley's magic; making you realize, that in the end we're not so different from one another, after all. I rate this one 7/10.

My one-line summary is about all I really have to say about the film. But hey, why don't I just throw in some filler material here? Well, okay then...

I can't honestly say that this is a "good" film: it ultimately seems vapid, empty. The plot is lame, the acting and dialogue seem dead-pan and artificial, none of the characters really grabs me and holds me. I couldn't help but feel that huge parts of the movie seem absurd (such as [without giving too much away here] the part where the police sniper pulls his head away from his rifle… and he is calmly smoking a cigarette – what's up with that??! No, police snipers do NOT do that!!!). Oh, and the ending – just when the movie really gets interesting and enjoyable right at the end, well, the damn movie just abruptly ends.

Nevertheless, it is an enjoyable film – while it lasts, that is (I'm once again referring to that abrupt ending). Did you ever see "An American Werewolf in London" (1981)? Remember how it just, well... stopped?? That's what "Amateur" did for me. It just suddenly stopped. *Note to self: good thing I didn't pay to see this in the theater, as I surely would have approached the box office and asked for at least a partial refund.

Anyway, I couldn't help enjoying the film. It is definitely a crime movie, along the lines of, say, a Joel and Ethan Coen film. But unlike those, this movie is simple, quiet, and seems to have a darkly vague and mysterious sense of satire all to itself. It's not full of over-the-top stunts, bloody shootings and car chases. There is, however, an excellent scene in which a hit man – in a case of the hunter becoming the hunted – gets plugged full of lead, and how! As a previous reviewer noted, it was a pure Monty Python worthy moment (think the Black Knight being de-limbed by King Arthur in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail").

The dialogue is either extremely deliberate or at times utterly meaningless, but it reminds me of other atmospheric sorts of movies such as "The Spanish Prisoner", "House of Games" and "August 32nd on Earth". And for that I was thankful, because it enhanced the quiet, detached feel of the film. Ditto for the filming locations. Though filmed in and around New York, it was tastefully void of splashy references to big-city surroundings.

So watch this film sometime when you are in a quiet, laid back mood, when you just want to escape the usual hype and schlock of most modern day big-budget films. You never know: given half a chance, it just may grow on you.

A final thought: if you don't instinctively know that Isabelle Huppert's last name is pronounced "oo-PAIR" and not "hup-purt", then this film may not be your cup of tea.

I just adore this movie.I like to remember its precious lines and, particularly, its superb acting. The idea of an ex-nun writing pornography sounds an interesting one, as does her relationship with an amnesiac and an ice-cold porn star. The mystery plot is quite risible but by then you are already so inside the film that the wonderful performances manage to keep you interested. Hartley's rich creation of each of the 3 main characters finds a perfect response in each of the performances carried out by Isabelle Huppert, Martin Donovan and Elina Lowensohn, creating an incredibly touching sense of vulnerability, interdependence already suggested by the opening credits and its unforgettable music.

The conception of the characters finds great help in the paused acting and staticism of the actors, making the most of each single move of their faces. This finds its parangon in Huppert's stunning turn. We already knew how great the red-haired was (see Une affaire de femmes, to name one), but she deals here with a character which could have resulted grotesque in other hands. She provides innocence, freakiness, sympathy and a thousand more in one, making it inevitable to want to embrace her when the curtain is down and tears go down your face. Isabelle, you are the greatest!!!

Its been a while since I've this movie but its always stayed with me and I would strongly recommend it. This film has Hal Hartley's trademark sparse, artsy atmosphere, with the slightly surreal characters, the staged dialogue and set pieces. All the characters are quirky and memorable, I loved Isabelle Huppert's character - the nymphomanical nun - in particular and the story dissects amnesia in a really interesting way.

Above all the central love story will draw you in more than you realise; the ending was both crushing and fitting. This is due to the acting, as every movement and expression helps to build characters and relationships. Isabelle Huppert and Martin Donovan both do this perfectly, and the impact of the ending owes a lot to them. The odd 'staging' of the film may put off those expecting a more conventional thriller but open minded viewers will be rewarded.