Rating 4/10
Robert Littell’s Cold War novel The Amateur was first adapted into a 1981 Canadian film starring John Savage and Christopher Plummer. Though largely forgotten today, that cerebral spy thriller had a certain grim, old-school appeal. More than four decades later, the story returns in a sleek, modernized 2025 remake led by Rami Malek. This new version, directed by James Hawes (One Life) trades Prague for present-day Istanbul and boasts a high-profile ensemble cast. While the remake attempts an update for a contemporary audience, I was completely bored.
Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) is a CIA cryptographer who lives a quiet, uneventful existence—until a life-changing tragedy. His wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan), is killed during a hostage situation abroad. The nerdy amateur unexpectedly demands to be trained as a field agent so he can personally hunt down the four terrorists himself. But his superiors—Director Frank Moore (Holt McCallany) and Deputy Caleb Horowitz (Danny Sapani)—dismiss him outright. In response, Charlie threatens to expose their misconduct, prompting the agency to reluctantly grant him a few half-hearted self-defense classes with the hardened military trainer Henderson (Laurence Fishburne).
What follows is an utterly rote tale: an untrained desk jockey plunges into the shadowy world of espionage. Driven by grief and a thirst for justice, Charlie embarks on a relentless quest to hold those responsible accountable. It’s a setup ripe with potential—but it doesn’t deliver much excitement.
This could have worked as a comedy had the account not taken itself so seriously. Playing a Bond villain in No Time to Die gave Malek the itch to play an action hero. Unfortunately, the actor is woefully miscast in the lead. Here, he fails to convince as a would-be killer or even a grieving husband zealously driven by revenge. Despite undergoing an extended agency training sequence, Charlie doesn’t acquire any skills. Instead, he stumbles across London, Paris, Marseille, Istanbul, Madrid, and Russia using little more than his phone, Google, and a series of implausible plans.
Malek’s performance lacks the passion to justify he is this person. He moves through situations with the cold, blank stare of an automaton. His odd expression adds nothing to the character. There’s no emotional weight to his journey, and even more shocking, there is no chemistry between him and his wife, Sarah. Rachel Brosnahan is wasted in the thankless part of the “dead wife.” She’s just a plot device. The couple is supposedly passionately in love, but their connection isn’t sincere. I never believed for a second that he was angry enough to become a viligate and do these crazy things.
The chronicle doesn’t sell Charlie’s supposed intelligence either. We’re told he has an IQ of 170, yet he makes moronic decisions. At one point, he needs to pick a lock. He pulls out his iPhone and watches a YouTube tutorial—on full volume—right there in the moment. Wouldn’t someone with that level of intellect have prepared beforehand? To his credit, he does it without any issues whatsoever. Malek is an absolute failure at portraying a lethal spy assassin. Given the film’s title, I get that’s the point, but Jesse Eisenberg doing his neurotic thing or Paul Dano, who can be unsettling, would’ve been more entertaining—and credible.
Visually, the developments have the look of quality. The cinematography, production values, and sound design are all solid, lending a veneer of polish. And the supporting cast is strong. As mentioned in the plot setup, Laurence Fishburne shows up in his standard mentor role. Caitríona Balfe adds intrigue as a mysterious ally with international ties. Michael Stuhlbarg embodies an evil presence connected to the central conspiracy, while Jon Bernthal lends some grit as a seasoned CIA field operative with a personal connection to Charlie. They do what they can, but ultimately, the saga remains a lifeless slog.
We love Jason Bourne and James Bond not just for the action but because they deliver excitement with charismatic stars and compelling missions. The Amateur wants to be that kind of movie but lacks a convincing lead, a believable emotional arc, and a gripping narrative. It’s just a sleek package with nothing inside.
04-15-25