The Amateur

Talk about one of the most accurate titles, except...he's not 100%.

A REAL Amateur wouldn't be able to do half of what he did. Maybe not even 20%. He was really a CIA Nerd with lotza brains.

But, this was really Jason Bourne all over again, with someone not as skilled. Just partially there. Heck, even the music was close to Bourne's.

CIA Computer Geek Charlie Heller's lovely wife whom you KNOW he's designed with is murdered in a London Terrorist attack. Heller just wants his bosses to do the right thing: murder the murderers. When they won't, he sets off to do the deed in a revenge plot from someone who can't pull the trigger, but can do so much worse.

I generally don't watch trailers, but I did happen to catch this one and it did spark my interest. It did seem very formulaic, clichéd and predictable...and then I saw the movie. Remy Malek already won an Oscar for Bohemian Rhapsody and frankly, deserves another for this role.

He really was THAT good. Everyone else, standard and did their role. Remy gave it his all. Never once did I not believe ALL that he was going through with his plot for revenge against his wife's murderers.

And for him to remind me of one of my favorite action/spy trilogies of all time (The Bourne Identity/Supremacy/Ultimatum) that's a welcome surprise. I actually found myself wishing this was part of Jason Bourne's universe.

This was SUPER SMART, advanced, intelligent and still simple enough to follow along. It's certainly not as fast-paced/action packed as the Bourne movies, but it feels more real than they did.

I don't think this movie will make too much. And that's a shame. We need more movies like this produced every year.

***

Final Thoughts: The AMC Bartender asked me if I was seeing Minecraft and I said, "No. I might be a bit too old for that." To which, she replied, "Oh, yeah by a long-slide." Ouch. Granted, the demographics apparently are for toddlers so no offense taken.

"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.

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.

And a new franchise is born. Falling somewhere between Jason, Bourne and James Bond, with a dash of the tech guy from Mission impossible, Remi Malik's The Amateur is a wonderfully entertaining and intelligent thriller, with extraordinarily strong supporting acts from just about everybody else involved, including an excellent Lawrence Fishburne, really on form here in a part which gives him real substance for once.

In a year, which has seen its fair share of lack Gloucester movies, this is a real crowd, pleaser, and no doubt we do well in box office as well as on home screen screens. Malik is exceptional believable, and as usual, evoking real emotion.

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.