The Amateur

The Amateur

A Cerebral Study in the Cost of Killing

★★★☆☆

A painfully serious revenge thriller that plays like a somber version of Bourne.

Directed by James Hawes (Slow Horses), The Amateur is an intriguing thriller that explores the heavy moral weight of vengeance. Rami Malek plays a CIA data analyst who steps out of his desk job to hunt those responsible for his wife's murder. While the film hooks you early, it shifts away from traditional action toward a character study on the soul-eroding nature of violence—a theme it shares with the classic Unforgiven.

"Killing a person is like cutting a piece out of oneself that can never be replaced. Either one is a killer or they are not."

— Review Perspective

🎬 Cast & Crew

• Director: James Hawes
• Starring: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Laurence Fishburne
• Supporting: Jon Bernthal, Caitríona Balfe, Holt McCallany

The Vision

James Hawes brings a grounded, TV-prestige aesthetic to this spy drama. It eschews the "fun" of the genre for a gritty realism, focusing on Malek's non-emotional, overtly cerebral performance style. The haunting presence of Rachel Brosnahan in flashbacks serves as the emotional anchor, maintaining sympathy for a protagonist who is otherwise difficult to read.

🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts

• Literary Roots: The film is based on the 1981 novel by Robert Littell, which was previously adapted into a film in the same year.
• Director’s Pedigree: Director James Hawes is best known for helming the entire first season of the Apple TV+ hit Slow Horses.
• Global Thriller: Production took place across various international locations including London, the South of France, and Istanbul to capture a classic spy-thriller scale.

✅ Pros

• Strong "cloak and dagger" ensemble performances.
• Compelling moral exploration of the psychological toll of killing.
• Excellent use of flashbacks to ground the revenge motive.

❌ Cons

• Sorely lacks the satisfying "revenge" peaks common in the genre.
• Tension flags significantly in the second act.

🏆 Final Verdict

The Amateur earns a modest recommendation for fans of cerebral spy dramas. It’s an efficient, if somewhat joyless, thriller that honors its source material through Rami Malek’s intense, singular performance style.

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