The story follows Thomas (Martin Donovan), an amnesiac who wakes up in a New York City alley, and Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert), a former nun and virgin who now writes pornography. Their encounter triggers a series of events involving:
Critics have described the film as a "beautifully precise essay on personality" and "Hartley heaven". However, its "monotone" and "mechanical" nature has also led some to call it "cool nothingness" or a "sloppy first draft". Key highlights from major reviews include: subtitle Amateur.1994.720p.BluRay.H264.AAC-RARBG
: Isabelle's character provides a "sweet gravity" that grounds the film's more outlandish premise. Critical Perspective The story follows Thomas (Martin Donovan), an amnesiac
: The film interrogates whether a "blank slate" can be forgiven for sins they can no longer remember. Key highlights from major reviews include: : Isabelle's
: Hartley uses standard thriller tropes—incriminating floppy disks, international crime bosses, and bungling henchmen—not for suspense, but as "found objects" to explore language and absurdity.
