”The Amateur” stars Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne in an action-packed revenge thriller.
Photo Credit — IMDB
An everyday government decoder named Heller and his wife Sarah have what seems to be a satisfying life by most standards. They both work professional jobs and live a quiet life in their restored old farmhouse outside the bustling city.
Well, like most love stories and Hollywood movies, things don’t quite go as planned. While away on a work conference in glamorous London, Sarah falls prey to a grim terrorist attack and spoiler alert (they gave it away in the trailer folks), the “perfect wife” by traditional standards gets killed.It makes me angry; I must have sat through this trailer in the theater at least ten different times, why do so many studios give away so much of the story in their preview trailer? It infuriates me! Like leave some details to the imagination…
Academy Award winner and unconventional leading man Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “No Time to Die”) plays soft and demure Heller. Classy and soft-spoken, this successful businessman is hardly the testosterone-filled cliche type you will find at Brown’s Gym in Clarks Summit. Quite the opposite. After the passing of his beloved spouse, growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress on behalf of his CIA supervisors finding his partner’s killers, this small-time genius decides to take matters into his own hands.
Part James Bond and another half Jason Bourne, “The Amateur,” although not as much of a box office Cinderella story as the two previously stated, is a solid adult alternative film to consider when looking to go out on a dreary Saturday night date night. Lord knows we have enough of those, this spring has been the pits!
I don’t know about you, but there was a scene where the leading man Heller leaves his wife a voicemail, I couldn’t help but sit in my seat and stew over what a chore it is now to actually go into one’s phone and not only check but listen to a voicemail message. If it is something pertinent, just send a text message, please! I know I am part of the problem when stating this, because at the heart of it, I am all about old school communication, but I am a very busy man and am equally looking to maximize my time. There is only so much free time in a day.
While I am on my soap box here, while away from work on a sabbatical, I noticed Rami’s polished character, unlike me, gets in respectable clothes — meaning shirt tucked in, glasses, clean shaven, etc. while just spending time alone in his house. Is this how most folks behave while residing inside their own four walls? It made me feel like a slug. When I am home, I am so sloppy, in oversized comfy clothes, or rags to be specific.
All in all, “The Amateur,” although not breakthrough material here, this spy thriller is captivating, and unlike gaming movies like “Minecraft” which are killing financial numbers (and brain cells) at the box office, this one requires being half present. Not to mention, supporting actor Laurence Fishburne (“Higher Learning,” “The Matrix”) only elevates the project even higher with his trademark intensity. Popcorn worthy indeed, so yes splurge on the large bucket!
“The Amateur,” starring: Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Bernthal
Christopher’s “Meow” Score: “7 1/2” paws out of 10.
