Having always had a thing for films with clever people who always get underestimated, The Amateur was an experience worth having. Heller (Rami Malek) is a hyper-intelligent man who works behind the scenes at the CIA. His odd and quiet demeanour means that people have never really seen the quality underneath.
When his beloved wife Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) is tragically murdered, it brings something out in Heller that many never even imagined. Few saw the determination he possessed to avenge the death of his wife and he is allowed to train in the black arts. Even then he is still treated with a level of disdain that proves completely unwarranted.
Once in the field he uses this dismissal to his advantage. Being underestimated plays to his strengths and lacking the brawn only accentuates the power of his analytic brain. There are some bumps in the road and victims while not completely innocent are sweep up into the escalating violence.
In contrast to most stories of this ilk, he never loses his moral compass and the end when it does come is played out in an unexpected way. The underlying themes play to a healthy distrust of people in powerful positions and a few do get their comeuppance. The focus never leaves the thought that you can never judge a person by the obvious criteria and finding out the hidden depth of Heller is a satisfying adventure.
Rob Hudson
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