By Kimberly Grant
I have always had a theory that any and everyone is capable of murder. They just need the space, opportunity, and motive. Just watch an episode or two of Snapped and it’s easy to see why I would think that. And, now there’s a movie about what happens when someone who chooses non-violence decides to become violent.
The Amateur is currently playing in theaters nationwide.
The Unnoticed Predator
It’s become common knowledge that people who work for the CIA don’t always look like James Bond. They’re typically average looking people who are trained to blend in with a crowd and go unnoticed. That goes for all CIA employees, from analyst to super spy, like Charles “Charlie” Heller (played by Rami Malek). Charlie is a decoder with a top secret clearance who works four floors below ground level. His job is to decode information that is submitted to the CIA. He’s also super smart and has designed countless tech that is used by the CIA.
Unfortunately, Charlie’s wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) is murdered in a seemingly random act of terrorism in the UK and Charlie’s superiors seem reluctant to do anything about it. The men who basically killed his wife are small fish in a big pond. Charlie decides he’s not taking “no” for answer and devises his own vengeance. He starts by trying to train as a typical operative and quickly figures out that he doesn’t have what it takes to look someone in the eyes and kill them.
That leads Charlie to devise a more hands-off approach to ending the men responsible for his wife’s death. Written by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli (based on the novel by Robert Littell), this movie takes the audience on a twisty ride of vengeance and psychoanalysis. The why behind Charlie’s actions are a major part of the film, while proving that no matter how small or meek a person appears, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Only the Strong Survive
Malek as Charlie is easy to write off. He’s small in stature. He’s wide-eyed like everything he encounters is a wonder. His demeanor is of one who prefers to look up at the hero instead of being a hero. Then all of that changes when his wife is murdered and he’s locked in the anger stage of grief. That anger turns Charlie into someone who uses his technologically savvy brain power to exact retribution on bad men. He’s like a small John Wick minus guns and knives.
Make no mistake. Charlie does not go on this quest alone. Laurence Fishburne plays Colonel Henderson, who’s first tasked with teaching Charlie how to kill, then tries to stop Charlie before he hurts himself. Then there’s a mysterious hacker who turns out to be Caitriona Balfe of Outlander fame. There’s also a super spy named The Bear (Jon Bernthal) that seems to be on Charlie’s side when it comes to his quest for vengeance. These characters may not fully believe in Charlie’s cause or believe that he can do what he sets out to do. But that’s a part of the film’s attraction.
Not Quite Fleshed Out
Part of the lure of The Amateur is that Charlie is basically like many of us. Non-violent, loving, lovable, and wanting justice. Director James Hawes does a decent job of showing the audience that Charlie is deep down a good person. He’s just someone suffering from a tremendous loss. However, most of us won’t rig a rooftop pool to crack and then collapse forty or so stories. (I can mention this one scene because it’s in the trailer.) When the glass and the tons of water crashes down in the film my first thought was “that’s billions of dollars in damages.” That type of thing could bankrupt a company.
That said, this scene is a reminder that our actions (however justified) have consequences. I’m sure there were innocent people who got hurt when that pool crashed to the bottom. The audience will never know, though, because Hawes chose not to explore that aspect of the story. Likewise, there other aspects of the film that aren’t properly explained. Like, why Charlie and Sarah choose to live in a farm house on a sprawling plot of land with no one else around for miles. Or the number of casualties who were hurt when a giant pool dropped on them. And, will Charlie face prison time for his actions?
It’s possible Hawes wanted to stick as close to brand as possible. Which gives us a story about a man that is unhinged and on a seemingly righteous mission. What The Amateur lacks in moral compass it makes up for in action. There isn’t nail-biting suspense, but there are key points in the movie where the audience will gasp in shock. Clearly, Hawes did a good job in bringing the story to life. And this film does a good job in reminding me that you can’t judge a book by its cover, no matter how meek and unassuming they appear.
Read more reviews by K. A. Grant by reading her Entertainment Blog.
