"The Amateur," a new movie starring Rami Malek as a CIA encryption specialist who uncovers a drone strike cover-up, is reminiscent of classic films such as the Bourne Saga. Despite being an entertaining film, its premise—that the threat of leaking information to major news outlets could intimidate powerful government officials—seems very far-fetched. The movie evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time when whistleblowers and investigative journalism were respected, not given the moniker of fake news. It is not the most believable thriller and serves as a nostalgic throwback to films from the 90s. These movies only needed to provide a few hours of entertainment, and The Amateur meets that requirement.

The film stars Oscar winner Malek as Charlie Heller, a meticulous and methodical man. The movie opens with Charlie carefully preparing coffee for his wife Sarah, played by Rachel Brosnahan, who is leaving for a business trip to London. Charlie then commutes to his job at Langley, where he works with a group of intelligent but undervalued tech experts. His place in the office hierarchy is made clear when a well-known agent, the Bear (Jon Bernthal), asks him to lunch only to have him fix a computer issue. Despite this, Charlie remains content with his work and colleagues.

Charlie, a competent CIA analyst, has a unique connection to a mysterious entity known as Inquiline. This secret contact provides him with confidential information that becomes crucial when tragedy strikes. Charlie's wife tragically dies in a terrorist attack shortly after her departure for London. Moore, Charlie's supervisor, delivers the heartbreaking news and presents a video of the incident to him. Fueled by vengeance, Charlie blackmails Moore with information from Inquiline about Moore's involvement in drone strikes. Moore reluctantly sends Charlie to CIA agent training school, where he's told he lacks the killer instinct. Undeterred, Charlie pursues his wife's killers across Europe, transforming from a nervous analyst into an unlikely action hero.

Malek convincingly portrays the character. "The Amateur," directed by James Hawes, who has also worked on TV's "Slow Horses" and "Black Mirror," and adapted from Robert Littell's 1981 espionage novel of the same name, is crafted with a lighthearted sense of assurance. He's the underdog hero.

Malek's character, Charlie, lacks experience in pursuing ruthless international criminals, yet his audacity proves valuable. Furthermore, he is resourceful: we observe him learning how to break into a traditional Parisian apartment by watching an instructional YouTube video. As the expert in the video shares their knowledge, he holds his phone in one hand and manipulates the lock with the other.

Malek excels at portraying characters who are slightly, or even significantly, disconnected from reality. His unthreatening demeanor is what makes him relatable in the role of Charlie. It's easy to believe him as a dedicated public servant who feels shocked and betrayed by the world's arbitrary cruelty. Yet, he's a naive character with a daring streak. Upon discovering that one of his targets suffers from severe allergies, he devises a cunning plan to obstruct her airways with pollen. He possesses enough knowledge of physics to cause a luxurious glass swimming pool, suspended 60 stories high, to shatter on the ground. As far as vigilantes go, he's quite endearing. And as a bonus, he brews a delicious cup of coffee.

“The Amateur” may not present anything novel, but it certainly provides the audience with entertainment and introduces an unconventional hero in Charlie.

The film is currently in theaters world wide.