Review of Amateur

This film, like other films of Hal Hartley's is something of a quirky character and therefore is a bit of a personal taste. For those who enjoy his special brand of humor this early film in his output has all the characteristics that he revisits in subsequent films. Equally, many of the actors will be seen in later films too and this is as good place as any to start investigating his output. The story evolves around a nun who leaves the convent because she believes that she is a nymphomaniac. But yet, she's never had sex. She decides to start writing pornographic stories for a porn magazine to vent her sexual frustration. Soon, she meets an injured man who has amnesia. Little does the nun know, but this man has ties to the porn industry. She has a spiritual revelation and decides to help this man find out who he is. This leads them both into trouble with hired assassins and crazed accountants. A wild story indeed...

Most mystery films focus on the identity of the bad guy. This film instead chooses to explore the bad guy's identity. The film opens with him laying unconscious on a cobblestone street. He awakes but has no idea who he is. With this premise, the audience always knows who the bad guy is. He is in almost every frame of the feature. The rest of the film sets about discovering who the bad guy is. Most scenes are arranged as artfully as a painting, the actors understand and enlarge Hartley's vision, and the music, ranging from Liz Phair to Pavement, is excellent. Great characters, dialogue, and nice tips of the hat to the human condition with some good laughs as well.

Overall rating: 9 out of 10.