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Isabelle Huppert, Martin Donovan, Elina Löwensohn, Damian Young, Chuck Montgomery ... see more see more... , David Simonds , Pamela Stewart , Terry Alexander , Angel Caban , Erica Gimpel , Michael Imperioli , Holt McCallany , James McCauley , Tim Blake Nelson , David Troup , Emmanuel Xuereb , David Greenspan , Jamie Harrold , Parker Posey , Paul Schulze , Dwight Ewell , Michael Gaston , Currie Graham , Dave Simonds

Hal Hartley's fourth feature is a significant break from the quirky romantic comedy territory of his previous work -- though all of the deadpan idiosyncracies which make him such a singular filmmaker ... read more read more...remain intact, here he tries his hand at the thriller genre, a move yielding typically unconventional and innovative results. Amateur stars Hartley mainstay Martin Donovan as Thomas, an amnesiac who, in the first scenes, wakes up in an alley, badly injured; he stumbles to a nearby coffeeshop where he meets Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert), a former nun and would-be nymphomaniac who now makes her living writing pornographic fiction. She takes him back to her apartment, where in time his past slowly begins to emerge -- a sharp contrast to the sweet, even naive soul that Huppert has befriended, it appears that the old Thomas was in fact a vicious pornographer whose attempted murder was at the hands of his wife, adult film star wife Sofia (Elina Lowensohn). Thomas is also the target of a nefarious European arms merchant whose hired guns are hot on his trail. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Flixster Users

85% liked it

3,220 ratings

Critics

75% liked it

24 critics

R, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Hal Hartley

Release Date: June 1, 1995

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DVD Release Date: November 11, 2003

Stats: 135 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (135)

  • moonrivers
    June 22, 2011
    moonrivers
    Stylistic romantic/comedy/thriller that builds slowly as an amnesiac endeavors to discover his identity. Nice performances in sort of an Hitchcockian homage, particularly by one Damien Young.
  • GabrielKnight
    August 15, 2011
    GabrielKnight
    One of Hal Hartley's classics, this time it's not a romantic comedy set on Long Island but rather a thriller.. well sort of, more like an anti-thriller actually. As always in Hartley's movies, it's all about the dialogue.
  • michaeltoddbackus
    December 29, 2007
    michaeltoddbackus
    This movie was really slow and very boring but Elina Löwensohn was amazing. Everytime she came on screen I was engaged and intigued. The story should have just followed her the whole time.
  • zeiko18
    January 2, 2007
    zeiko18
    Hartley at his best, with a marvelous cast of people- mostly actors of the sort that you get happy when anyone uses them in anything, but this material good enough to deserve their presences. The most hilarious shooting in film history is in this movie.

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Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
March 24, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

An enjoyable quirky-humored hit man flick. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
April 29, 2006
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Less quirky than earlier films, Amateur pushes its humor too hard and the conceit of amnesia is absurd, but there are poignant observations about purity versus experience and ignorance versus knowledge. Full Review

Jeremiah Kipp
February 15, 2004
Jeremiah Kipp, ToxicUniverse.com

A deadpan examination of coincidence versus signs; tangibility versus faith. Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 30, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Comes across as an interesting study of the ways in which we are all amatuers at changing our lives. Full Review

Chris Hicks
January 1, 2000
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City

This one tends to fizzle instead of sizzle. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
September 7, 2011
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

Click to read the article Full Review

Caryn James
May 20, 2003
Caryn James, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Peter Travers
May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

No review available.

Peter Rainer
February 13, 2001
Peter Rainer, Los Angeles Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Stanley Kauffmann
January 1, 2000
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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  • In what movie does the New York Rangers hockey team go play a game against an amateur team from a little place populated of around six hundred citizens?  Answer »
  • Who played in a movie about a young mexican footballer who played for an amateur soccer team in los angeles and eventually get recruited by newcastle FC?  Answer »
  • Who played: A man who can't sleep An amateur bank-robber A lawyer A cameo role in a much disliked movie  Answer »
  • The film is a mockumentary comedy, in which Bloom plays young milkman Jimmy. He is an amateur boxer who by a bizarre twist of events ends up fighting the world champion in his home town.  Answer »
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