The Amateur

‘s Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed as critics weigh in on Rami Malek’s new spy thriller. Directed by James Hawes, the upcoming film stars Malek as Heller, a CIA decoder who takes matters into his own hands after his supervisors fail to act following his wife’s death during a London terrorist attack. Featuring an impressive supporting cast that includes Jon Bernthal, Rachel Brosnahan, Holt McCallany, and Laurence Fishburne, The Amateur hits theaters this Friday, with reviews for the film now releasing online.
Now, just days before the film’s release, Rotten Tomatoes reveals that The Amateur has debuted with a 67% critics’ score from 33 reviews, as of writing. Though this score could fluctuate as more reviews are added, the film is currently sporting a “fresh” designation. The audience score is even higher at 87%, indicating enthusiasm from those who have been able to watch the movie early, but this score, too, will evolve after the film goes wide.

Though fresh, The Amateur is not “Certified Fresh,” a seal reserved only for films that feature scores of 75% or higher from at least 80 reviews (or 40 if the movie is only getting a limited release).

What This Means For The Amateur

How It Compares To James Bond & Jason Bourne

While things could change in the coming days and weeks, The Amateur’s Rotten Tomatoes score currently puts it behind the first three Bourne movies, but ahead of The Bourne Legacy (56%) and Jason Bourne (55%). The film’s lukewarm score also puts it right in the middle of the Daniel Craig James Bond movies. Though it falls behind Casino Royale (94%), Skyfall (92%), and No Time To Die (83%), it beats both Quantum of Solace (63%) and Spectre (63%). The film, then, may not be among the best spy thrillers ever made, but it does appear to be solidly entertaining.

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Reviews for The Amateur vary, but a general point of agreement seems to be that the story isn’t particularly groundbreaking. This isn’t a break-the-mold kind of film, but critics do praise its stylish presentation, action sequences, and the performances by the film’s cast. In her The Amateur review for ScreenRant, Tatiana Hullender awards the film a solid seven out of 10 score, taking issue with a by-the-numbers story while praising Malek’s committed lead performance:

First, I must heap praise on Rami Malek. No one should ever doubt his talent, but I still didn’t imagine he would be able to take such a boilerplate character and add moments of depth and clarity with only a subtle change in expression.

Our Take On The Amateur’s Rotten Tomatoes Score

Will The Movie Be A Hit?

The fact that The Amateur doesn’t break the mold as a spy thriller was somewhat evident in the trailers, and this could ultimately be what hurts the movie at the box office. An upper-60s Rotten Tomatoes score isn’t a poor result for a film, but it’s also not a score that really helps the Malek spy thriller stand out from the crowd. It’s hard for films to cut through the noise and become successful these days, and it doesn’t look like The Amateur will be benefiting too greatly from its critical response.
That being said, the audience score is a promising sign. If The Amateur connects with general movie-goers, it could benefit from positive word-of-mouth, helping it to gain steam in theaters. While it remains to be seen how The Amateur will fare in theaters, it seems like, at the very least, audiences should expect and an entertaining spy thriller with a compelling lead performance.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes

The Amateur

7/10

Release Date

April 11, 2025

Director

James Hawes

Writers

Gary Spinelli

Rachel Brosnahan

Uncredited