FILM REVIEW
THE AMATEUR
Rated PG-13
123 Minutes
Released April 11th
The Amateur is a remarkably well-made film with a compelling plot line, stunning settings, an unlikely hero who has extraordinary courage, passion, and flaws, and impeccable cinematography, editing and score.
Composer Volker Bertelmann also did the score to the striking All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), which won 4 Academy Awards. The rhythm of The Amateur never misses a beat because of the precise editing and magnificent camera work. You will feel like you are living within the story. I learned after I had seen the film that its editor, Jonathan Amos, edited one of my favorite films of all time, Baby Driver (2017), which also has that uncanny perfect harmony of visuals, movement, rhythm, and music.
The reason this is a great movie is that it has been made by an outstanding team of filmmakers assembled by director James Hawes. Hawes is an award-winning British television director known for directing episodes of such series as Black Mirror and Slow Horses. The Amateur is only his second feature film. He is obviously not afraid to bring professionals into his team who are more experienced and recognized than he is, and this is a sign of a great director.
Every actor in the ensemble fashions a riveting character that draws the audience with them into the screen, and each actor’s persona adds to the great balance and diverse emotional quality of the cast, which includes luminaries of stage, television, and film, another reflection of the skill of the director.
Rami Malik, who also produced the film, becomes a unique and believable killer driven with a laser-like focus to avenge his wife’s murder at the hands of an international terrorist group. Malek’s superb acting will pull you into the anguish and inconceivable loss that drive his character. Malek won the 2019 Academy Award for his portrayal of “Freddie Mercury” in Bohemian Rhapsody. He was the lead in the TV series Mr. Robot from 2015 to 2019 and won an Emmy for that role. Born in Los Angeles into an Egyptian Coptic family, he took musical theatre classes in high school and got his BA in Fine Arts. His first job as an actor was as a guest star on Gilmore Girls. He was in two episodes of Steven Bochco’s Over There, and he appeared in a video game in 2015. His film debut was as “Pharaoh Ahkmenrah” in the Night at the Museum movies. With a unique look, astonishing talent, and an exceptional work ethic, Malek doesn’t wait for the right project to come to him; he makes it happen. He produces and works on soundtracks in addition to acting.
Rachel Brosnahan is a stage, TV, and film actress best known for her portrayal of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The legendary Laurence Fishburne has been acting since he was 12. Caitriona Balfe was born in Dublin and, after being “discovered” in a shopping mall, began modeling at the age of 19. She has starred in the popular series Outlander since 2014. The cast also includes Julianne Nicholson and Michael Stuhlbarg.
This film treats catastrophe the way it should be treated, not as a glossed-over exclamation point for the sake of moving the story along, as in many films. The loss that envelopes Malek’s character early in the movie will strike a chord in the hearts of all who have lived through a similarly sudden and devastating change to their lives, and the movie paints the loss so beautifully that it becomes a thread of its own within the greater fabric of the tale. The story won’t let you down for a minute and is composed like a symphony, with a solid, unwavering theme, fast and slow interludes, riveting characters, and fascinating locations, all beautifully shot. This is a movie that will be shown in film history classes and in art houses years from now as one of the best of our time.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com
