The Amateur
The Amateur is a 2025 American action thriller film directed by James Hawes and written by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli. It is based on the 1981 novel by Robert Littell, which was previously adapted into a 1981 Canadian film. It stars Rami Malek (who also produced), Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, and Laurence Fishburne.
Plot
CIA cryptographer Charlie Heller is restoring an old Cessna as a present from his wife, Sarah, who leaves for a business trip in London. At the CIA's Decryption and Analysis division, Charlie has befriended a field agent, Jackson O'Brien, code name "The Bear", and an anonymous source, code name "Inquiline". Classified files from Inquiline reveal Special Activities Center Director and Charlie's boss, Alex Moore, disguised politically-motivated drone strikes as suicide bombings. Charlie is subsequently brought to CIA Director Samantha O'Brien, who informs him that Sarah has been killed in a terrorist attack.