The Amateur’s James Hawes on Making Modern Torture Chambers, Jon Bernthal’s Electric Scenes

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James Hawes, director of the upcoming release “The Amateur,” recently shared insights about the movie’s digital premiere, boasting some engaging extra content. During the conversation, Hawes detailed his creative process in designing contemporary torture chambers for crucial scenes, as well as collaborating with actors Jon Bernthal and Rachel Brosnahan. Now, you can watch “The Amateur” on various digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. The film will also be available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray starting July 8.

Malek, known as Charlie Heller, is a gifted but reserved code-breaker for the CIA, who works from a basement office at their headquarters in Langley. However, his life changes drastically when his wife is tragically killed during a terrorist attack in London. When those in charge fail to act, he decides to take justice into his own hands. This leads him on a perilous journey around the world, hunting down the perpetrators. His intelligence becomes his greatest asset as he navigates through his pursuers and seeks vengeance.

User: Tyler Treese, I particularly enjoy the amateur series as it offers a unique perspective on Charlie’s intricate death traps. He isn’t one for direct confrontations, instead preferring these elaborate setups. How do you manage to conceive such scenes reminiscent of the Saw movies? During the bonus features, we catch a glimpse of how some of these are executed in real life. Could you share some insights into this process?

In a brainstorming session led by James Hawes and his team, including some advisors, they found themselves delving into rather grim scenarios as everyone had creative suggestions for ways characters could meet their end. Rami, the actor portraying one of these characters, expressed some discontent at not being able to display more action-oriented skills like a ninja move or drawing a weapon. However, Hawes emphasized that the character’s intelligence was key, as he could manipulate situations to his advantage, such as devising the asthma test in the cubicle, which was inspired by the 1981 novel but updated to resemble a contemporary torture chamber.

In the movie, the bond between Rachel Brosnahan’s character and Rami’s is briefly showcased, yet it carries significant weight as it initiates the entire narrative. How did the collaboration with Rachel go, and how did we ensure that this brief on-screen interaction would capture viewers’ emotions towards their relationship?

The short scene where Rachel Brosnahan and Rami’s characters connect in the movie is crucial because it sets off everything else. What was it like working with Rachel, and how did we maximize their limited screen time to make viewers care deeply about their relationship?

Indeed, you’ve touched upon a concern that we had from the script-writing phase itself. To elaborate, I introduced a brief scene where he follows her in an Uber, capturing candid moments as they dash up the street. This was done to emphasize their playful interactions, rapport, and affection. Given the limited time available, it served as a succinct yet impactful representation of their bond.

Rachel is incredibly intelligent and charismatic. She had a remarkable connection with Rami. The story was designed to let their unique bond shine. Consequently, you find yourself deeply engrossed in this unconventional romance. You empathize with these eccentric characters so much that you’d feel heartbroken if Rachel’s character met an untimely end.

In addition to desiring to spend more time with other characters, Jon Bernthal particularly caught my attention. His on-screen charisma is palpable. Given the limited screen time we had for his character, what strategies did we employ while collaborating with Jon to ensure the scenes were as impactful and fulfilling as possible?

In essence, the impact comes when Bernthal’s character enters the scene, particularly in the Langley lobby. It’s a small explosion of anticipation – “Whoa, it’s Bernthal!” followed by curiosity about what he might do next. This is exactly how Charlie feels – a mix of admiration and desire to interact with this cool character, only for him to be suddenly removed from the situation.

When the character appears later in the film, and you find yourself sharing coffee at a risky Russian cafe, unsure if he’s there to help or harm, it certainly adds to the thrill. I believe this situation is an instance where minimal details amplify the intrigue. With a creative powerhouse like John, who brings unique concepts to the table for his character, he breathes life into the script, making it electrifying.

Thanks to James Hawes for taking the time to talk about The Amateur.

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2025-06-20 20:41