The Amateur
Plot
The Amateur, a 1981 American thriller film directed by Charles Jarrott, revolves around the story of Peter Devereaux, a highly skilled and introverted CIA decoder. The film is centered around Devereaux's quest for personal vengeance after facing a devastating blow that changes his life forever. In the midst of a busy London morning, Devereaux receives news that was to become his worst nightmare - his wife has fallen victim to a brutal terrorist attack. The loss is unbearable, and the lack of action from his supervisors only adds to his anguish. Faced with what he perceives as a lack of urgency and an inability to tackle the root cause of terrorism, Devereaux decides to take matters into his own hands, transcending beyond the boundaries of his job and CIA protocol. Through a combination of his exceptional decoding skills and charisma, Devereaux has built a niche for himself within the CIA. He is a highly skilled linguist, capable of deciphering complex codes and codescripts in languages ranging from Russian to Arabic. His superior performance at deciphering highly encrypted messages has garnered respect from his colleagues, making him an indispensable asset to the agency. However, his quiet demeanor and reclusive nature make it difficult for him to interact effectively with others, which further prompts his anger towards his supervisors. As Devereaux delves deeper into the world of terrorism, he uncovers a web of deceit and corruption within the CIA that he was previously unaware of. What began as a quest for vengeance gradually morphs into a pursuit of justice. He encounters a multitude of characters, including Frank Haines, his CIA contact, who initially is hesitant in supporting Devereaux's individual operation but eventually becomes an ally. As the stakes grow higher, Devereaux gets entangled in an intricate plot to expose the truth behind his wife's murder. Alongside his colleagues, he uses his exceptional decoding abilities to unravel a tangled network of clandestine meetings, subplots, and subterfuges orchestrated by the terrorist mastermind. In a labyrinthine world where one misstep can spell danger, Devereaux must deploy his understanding of human psychology and coding expertise to outmaneuver the terrorists, uncover key evidence, and prevent further bloodshed. With the stakes reaching an all-time high and the clock ticking, Devereaux is pushed to his limits, forcing him to confront the grey areas between loyalty, duty, and a personal vendetta. With the narrative building up to a cliffhanger, Devereaux's obsessive search for revenge confronts him with severe moral dilemmas, confronting him on his course of action and making audience wonder about his true nature and intentions.
Reviews
Julian
"The Amateur" is utterly unengaging. It's as if the film itself admits, "You can't be an assassin," and then leaves you wondering, "Why am I even watching this?"
Kaia
The remake benefits from a deeper exploration of the protagonist's marital relationship, and the main character finally feels like an amateur. The assassinations rely more on hacking skills, a welcome change from the original where a few months of training transformed him into a sharpshooter and professional agent. However, the underlying story is simply mediocre, and even with technical improvements, the film struggles to truly stand out.
Adam
Adapted from a novel, the film feels very "novelistic" in its pacing and character introductions. It seems like many plot points from the book were cut, but even with the relatively slow pace of the current film, viewers may still find it dull.
Paul
The core of this film feels outdated. It's the classic revenge narrative of a man becoming stronger through hate and avenging out of love. The adaptation could have been much bolder by turning the vengeful protagonist into a woman. The viewing experience would have been better, and it wouldn't have felt so overwhelmingly masculine. P.S. The reason this film reeks of "straight male" is here: a man avenging his wife unexpectedly sparks a romantic connection with a widowed former KGB agent. This kind of fantasy screams "written by a straight male author." And to complete the protagonist's morally upright and heroic image, the widow dies, saving the hero from having to choose between new and old love. This writing technique is so clichéd.
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