{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "description": "I feel safe saying that this is my favorite action movie of the year so far. That may change when the new John Wick spinoff is released, but for now this is firmly in first place. The Amateur manages to get you immediately emotionally invested in the sweet, briefly covered marriage of Malek's Heller and Brosnahan's Sarah. That investment pays immediate narrative dividends when Sarah is killed during a hostage situation while at a conference in the UK. Heller is deeply devoted to Sarah and in his role as a brilliant analyst at the CIA, quickly identifies one of the four individuals involved in her death. His pursuit is shutdown by McCallany's Moore (always well-cast as the gruff law-enforcement type). Events culminate in Heller taking on a quest for revenge on his own. Much action ensues — tailored around Heller's dearth of skill in the field, which is often made up for by his technical brilliance. Improvised devices, help from a sympathetic hacker and operator, brief encounters with Jon Bernthal as \"The Bear\". One by one Heller picks off his targets, stumbling his way through his hunt — outsmarting them, outsmarting the agents chasing him, escaping his mistakes and catching the man who pulled the trigger. Hectic, gripping, absurd to think it could be done, but you've gotta root for the guy. A more technical, altogether unbelievable John Wick or Jason Bourne. I'm pretty sure he forget to hit like or subscribe. : Malik excels at playing the neurotic (often technical) protagonist. He's more sympathetic here than he is as Elliot Alderson. : I love that guy.",
  "path": "/watching/movies/the-amateur-2025",
  "publishedAt": "2025-06-10T13:45:00Z",
  "site": "at://did:plc:sttgf52vkk46f6yuknvqxvgh/site.standard.publication/self",
  "tags": [
    "thriller",
    "action"
  ],
  "title": "The Amateur"
}