Pop Commentary

If you’re interested in seeing the new movie “The Amateur” don’t watch the trailer beforehand. It gives away the most exciting parts of the film.

“The Amateur” stars Rami Malek who plays a brilliant but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands and makes it his mission to track down those responsible, using his intelligence as the ultimate weapon.

The movie is based on a 1981 novel of the same name, and it was adapted by Ken Nolan, the same man who wrote the 2001 film “Black Hawk Down.”

The film also stars Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian Martinez, Danny Sapani, and Laurence Fishburne.

Other than being spoiled by the trailer, I really liked this movie! It’s a solid spy thriller that kept me entertained throughout the two-hour runtime. Afterall, I love a good story about an underdog who outsmarts his enemies.

I will say, it’s not the most original role for Malek. His character is very similar to the guy he plays in “Mr. Robot,” but hey, at least he’s doing what he’s good at.

It’s also not the most groundbreaking plot. It’s kind of what you expect from a spy movie, but if you like that genre, I think you’ll enjoy this film, which will be released in theaters nationwide on April 11.