The Stream: A slow burn with inconsistent character development.

The Big Screen: The movie is shot well like a spy thriller should be.

The Final Bill: Amateur hour when it comes to execution but with an occasionally thrilling storyline.

– S2S: Movie Review
Director: James Hawes
Writers: Ken Nolan, Gary Spinelli, Robert Littell
Stars: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Jon Bernthal
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rating: PG-13 (violence, slight strong language)
Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes
Production Companies: 20th Century Studios, Hutch Parker Entertainment, Joel B. Michaels Productions
Platform: Released in theaters on April 12, 2025
Notable Trailers:

Welcome back, Streamers! Movie season is starting to pick up pretty heavy right about now. In this weekend’s new releases, there was the new Rami Malek movie, The Amateur. In this action thriller, Malek plays Charlie Heller, a CIA technology, who is forced to take action to avenge his wife’s murder when his supervisors refuse to do anything about her death during an apparent terrorist incident. Heller doesn’t have the skills of a field agent, so he must rely on his own tech savvy and some special skills he picks up along the way. Of course, some awkward tech spy hijinks ensue.

The Amateur fails in one major aspect. Charlie Heller is an inconsistent character: is he a tech genius or an inept killer? Many viewers want either a John-Wick-style skilled killer or a nerdy genius who relies on his brains rather than weapons. We can like both characters, what we got and what we want, but it’s much easier to watch an action movie where the protagonist excels at what he does instead of bumbles through it. Here, while we know he’s an amateur, he’s also supposed to be a freaking tech genius running a department in the CIA. Nevertheless, the filmmakers have dulled his intellect at times to make him an “amateur” when this tech genius would not make these dumb mistakes.  I realize the need to facilitate the plot, but it’s really unnecessary and confusing. For instance, the ally they gave him. Heller’s supposed to be a tech and IT genius, but he can’t figure out part of this basic plan on his own? COME ON! It makes the movie frustrating to watch and takes you out of the enjoyment of the otherwise thrilling plot.

Either way, the movie is a slow burn with specks of action.  It’s got the intrigue of a spy movie but only hints of the swagger.   And that’s the annoying part, he’s a nerd but he’s also a genius.  He can be confident without being helpless. Nerds can be in shape and smooth, but Rami just takes the awkward too far. Don’t even get me started on how useless and wasted Jon Bernthal is in this movie. You could’ve saved some money and cast me instead of wasting Bernthal in that role! Anyway, the cast is average at best.

Long story short, The Amateur has the makings of a good movie with the execution of straight to VHS movie. Rami is his typical weird and awkward self but that doesn’t really fit in an action/thriller movie even when the protagonist is supposed to be a tech genius. The movie looks good, but the plot and execution leaves the viewer bored and wanting more. Grab a hand full of popcorn when this movie hits a streaming service.