The Amateur

Plot

When his supervisors at the CIA refuse to take action after his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack, a decoder takes matters into his own hands.

Cast

Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne deliver as they always do. Jon Bernthal is wasted, Adrian Martinez is always a welcome addition.

Verdict

The Amateur was the wife's choice, if she hadn't picked it I'd have likely never have given it a chance. It looks from the cover like a generic straight to DVD action flick, but I can confidently say I was mistaken.

The Amateur is a thriller with a level of intelligence, alas not as much as it attempts. The plot is less predictable than I expected and that's something, I loved the global wanderings and appreciated a lot of elements integrated but for every couple of things it does well it does one poorly and prevents the movie from being memorable, entertaining or quite frankly logical.

It entertains then it bores, it intrigues then it frustrates and all the while I'm left feeling like many scenes needed additional time but it rushed onto the next instead.

The Amateur could have been an enjoyable intelligent affair, the end result is a rushed mish-mash of ideas that badly falls short.

Rants

No spoilers here, but did you not expect a certain character to still be alive? I thought that was going to be the big twist. I mean come on, the general rule of thumb in movies and tv shows is if you don't actually see the character die then they're not dead. Well, I guess they were. I guess I'm glad as I thought that was predictable, but still it's the unwritten rule!

The Good

Solid cast Some solid ideas Loved the setting(s)

The Bad

Jon Bernthal may as well have not been in the film Badly rushed in areas Some poor writing decisions.

7.25/10 STARS - Saw this was based on a book and now I'm interested to listen to the audiobook (narrated by Scott Brick, who is a fantastic narrator). The movie itself was pretty good, and I enjoyed it. There were some issues here and there with conveniences when it came to his ability to get things done and some moments where suspension of disbelieve was required. Perhaps this was partly because it felt like there was a lot omitted along the way, not clearly showing us how he was able to accomplish what he did. Maybe some more scenes showing him having to figure out how to get to where he needed to be in order to sabotage something would have been good (like in the swimming pool scene). But since this movie was already more than two hours long, I suppose it might be a bit much to show us everything. I liked that we got a good feel for the main characters intense grief over the loss of his wife and his determination to make everyone pay - yet totally out of his element when it came to the brutality of face-to-face killing. Video review will be available on my YouTube channel shortly.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the cinema watching The Amateur. It should have been a short series maybe 4-6 Episodes as opposed to a feature film. I think 2 hours did not leave enough time for proper character development. For example the lead speaks about his great friend played by Lawerence Fisburn in a scene at the end of the film. We never really saw how the two developed that bond as there are barely 2-3 scenes with them together throughout the movie. It was fun though and I feel more so because I watched it at the Theatre. Will definitely give it a rewatch once I can on my couch and recommend anyone who just wants to kick back to give it a watch.

The Amateur had the potential to be a gripping thriller, especially with such a strong lead actor at the center of it all. Unfortunately, despite his undeniable talent, he felt underutilized in a script that lacked depth and nuance. The dialogue was particularly weak, often falling flat and leaving the actor with little to work with emotionally or dramatically.

The story seemed intended to immerse us in the character's frustration and grief as he searched for those responsible for his wife's death. However, this emotional core never quite landed. The relationship between the main character and his wife wasn't developed enough for us to truly feel the weight of the loss. The early scenes meant to establish their bond felt forced and lacked any real passion, which made it harder to invest in his motivations later on.

What's more frustrating is how much time the film spent on elements that didn't serve the story, while barely touching on those that could have added emotional depth and weight. The pacing and focus felt misplaced, detracting from what could have been a much more powerful narrative.

On the technical side, the cinematography was quite strong - it's clearly a well-shot film. However, the color grading choices didn't always work in its favor. Many scenes were overly dark, making it difficult to follow what was happening, at least on the cinema screen where I watched it.

Overall, The Amateur is a decent choice if you're looking for something to fill a lazy Sunday afternoon. But it's not a film that lingers or leaves a strong impact. With better writing and emotional grounding, it could have been so much more.

"Amateur" starts off feeling pretty standard, but it grows on you. Think early 2000s spy thrillers-nerdier, more grounded, and rough around the edges. It doesn't try to reinvent the genre, but it leans into its simplicity with confidence. The pacing is fine-not too fast, not too slow-and while the story isn't particularly complex, it holds your attention. Rami Malek brings a steady, watchable presence, and the ending wraps things up in a way that feels satisfying.it's a solid, no-frills spy flick. One of those movies you watch without big expectations and walk away pleasantly surprised. Totally worth a shot on a chill night.