Amateur

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 remain intact, here he tries his hand at the thriller genre, a move yielding typically ...more

Those expecting Hal Hartley to sell out on his first true foray outside of the drab confines of Long Island's suburbs will be pleasantly surprised to find that Amateur retains the auteur's emphasis on unconventional character pairings, only-in-the-movies plot conceits, and sardonic, self-deprecating good humor. An espionage thriller in outline only, Amateur may present a façade of amnesia, pornography, and gun-running, but underneath it all is Hartley's characteristic obsession with identity, ...more