The Amateur is zero percent plausibility and eighty-five percent entertainment. That is not a bad combination for a trip to the theater. No film is perfect and this one has just enough right things going for it to make up for the flaws. If ever there was an underdog our main character here is the poster child. Instead of a nerdy college kid going up against the bully jocks, here it plays out in the world of espionage and spies. Once you latch on to that understanding the film becomes even more fun.
Synopsis: Charlie Heller s a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge. | 2h 3m | Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, and language
The casting of Rami Malek as CIA decoder Charlie Heller is a very smart choice. This is not a Jason Bourne, James Bond, or Jack Ryan character. It is in fact the polar opposite. Heller is a shy, humble, introvert who might walk close to the spectrum if not on it. His brain is one of the most powerful tools in Langley. His ability to assess and decode and think his way through puzzles and situations is unmatched. The thing he loves most is his wife Sarah. His drive to avenge her murder is a driving plot point as well. Malek takes all of this anger and sadness and puts it front and center. Rami’s ability to play small is dynamic and what we need to ground the character.
The film is based on a novel and there was even a film released in 1981. The main difference is of course the technology and the way we can big brother ourselves out of any situation. There are eyes and ears everywhere and no one can hide. Especially when the person looking for you has programmed much of the tech, which is what Heller has done. The early film and book probably used what they had at hand and adapted to the time. Same here. This story makes use – reality or not – of every bit of spyware we have.
The CIA is another element of The Amateur. As Heller is trying to find and kill his wife’s assassins, there are parts of the CIA that want to see him fail. They are trying to cover up their own shenanigans. Director Moore (Holt McCallany) likes to play by his own America at all cost rules even if it means rouge missions and dirty tricks. Heller uses this as leverage to go on this mission, trying to stay a step a head of Moore and his team. McCallany is good in this too. He has an amazing range and plays the cocky, above the law CIA guy wonderfully.
Using the main character in a creative way earns it bonus points. There is no way anyone would believe that an introverted decoder could spend a few days training at the CIA academy and come out fighting and killing like Jason Bourne. We would however believe that his trainers would laugh him out of the building, and that he would use his mind where his body has failed. Heller is simply not a killer. Not in the traditional sense. But he does want to see the terrorists responsible die at his doing. So he has to get clever and go with what he knows.
Even with that, there are still moments that defy logic and explanation. It is full of convenience, and if you try to think too much about it it can pull you out of the moment and ruin the experience. If instead of dwelling on it, you grab a handful of popcorn and shove it in your mouth you will get through just fine. And that is sometimes the journey of a spy thriller. If you have no problem believing Ethan Hunt can do all his stuff, then you should be fine with Heller doing his.
Go in with medium expectations and some nice snacks. That is the key. Or wait for it to stream to your own couch. Either way, it is worth a viewing.
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