Film: The Amateur [2025] – Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Laurence Fishburne

The Amateur proves that sometimes brains beat brawn, especially when the guy behind the keyboard has nothing left to lose.

The Amateur doens’t bring anything new to Rami Malek. Remember Mr. Robot? However, he brings something new to the character. An emotional attachement to taking revenge on his wife’s killers. It is a delightful foray into action for Malek. He hasn’t done one of those in a while.

I remember watching the trailer in theater and wanting to actually pay for it. That’s how you know it’s a good product. Even though I ended up streaming it on Disney Plus, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, the movie is a bit underwhelming at times, but it’s worth a look for its variations on a familiar genre. Even better, it’s an unexpectedly tender thriller with sharp action that uses psychological warfare to transcend mediocrity.

A tribute to “nerd power”, The Amateur shows what you can do with today’s technology. You don’t need guns to kill someone. You don’t need a super computer to track them either. All you need is your brain, and the will to go the extra mile.

However, I wanted more. Unfortunately, because director James Hawes presents the action in such a cool, calculating way, and because Malek so internalizes his character’s emotional state, we’re never let in on Charlie’s emotions as he carries out his mission. Yes, not every movie needs spectacle, but what we got doesn’t resonate as well as it could have with lots of folks. Doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Should you watch it?

A low stakes movie about a man on a revenge path, but can’t shoot a gun. Rami Malek perfectly casted as the computer genius.

Where can I watch it?

You can stream The Amateur exclusively on Disney Plus.