Movie Review: THE AMATEUR

The difference between an “A” level Action flick and a “B” level action flick is the amount of the budget that the producers decide to spend on the talent.

With THE AMATEUR, this was money well spent for this film is short on action and long on character…much to it’s benefit.

Directed by James Hawes (Season One of the British Spy TV Series WILD HORSES) and starring Oscar Winner (for playing Freddie Mercury in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY), Rami Malek, THE AMATEUR tells the tale the “the guy in the van” who is now out front and center.

It’s a simple premise that flips the script of what each character is supposed to do, subverting expectations in a way that is very, very entertaining.

Hawes, flipped the script on Spy TV Shows with Wild Horses so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he would do so with this film, but he does step up as the Director who is able to milk a surprisingly entertaining yarn out of such a simple premise.

Of course, casting Malek in the role of a CIA “Cyber-geek” that turns the tables and goes out on a revenge mission to take down the terrorists responsible for the murder of his wife, is a step in the right direction. Malek imbues his character with a depth of feeling and intelligence that strongly compels the story (and the audience) forward in an fascinating way.

He is ably assisted by such top-notch performers as Laurence Fishburne (as the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” of the piece), good ol’ Jon Bernthal, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez and one of my favorite “what a jerk of a Corporate Suit” actors, Holt McCallany.

They all come together for an unexpectedly above average action film - even though the action part of this is pedestrian, which is why Hawes (and the producers) threw some charismatic performers for this story to lean on instead of the action.

A smart move, indeed.

Letter Grade: B+

7 1/2 stars (out of 10)

and you can take that to theBank(ofMarquis)