The following contains spoilers for The Amateur, now playing in theatersThe Amateur‘s ending can be a surprise for those expecting the finale to match the original novel and prior film adaptation. The Amateur is the second film based on Robert Littell’s novel of th same name. When CIA cryptographer Charlie Heller loses his wife in an apparent terrorist attack in London, he decides to get revenge by entering the field as a surprisingly effective agent. Going rogue from the CIA when they make efforts to stop him, The Amateur‘s Charlie increasingly crosses moral lines while trying to get his vengeance.

The Amateur‘s cast of characters range from unexpected allies to deceptive enemies, with Charlie’s efforts to find justice in light of his wife’s death taking him around the world and further than he ever thought possible. This ultimately leads to a surprisingly bittersweet victory for Charlie that never shies away from The Amateur‘s focus on grief. Here’s what happens to Charlie in The Amateur and how it quietly subverts a lot of elements that were definitive aspects of the previous versions of the story.

Charlie’s Final Plan & How He Exposes The CIA

Charlie’s Mission Ends Up Being About Justice, Not Vengeance

Charlie’s final scheme in The Amateur turns out not to be driven by his need for revenge so much as his desire for justice, subverting expectations. For much of The Amateur, Charlie has been willing to use the CIA’s resources and his own wits to hunt down Sean Schiller, the leader of a mercenary group whose attempts to escape a botched job led to the death of Charlie’s wife. After killing three of Sean’s ᴀssociates and making his way to the criminal mastermind, Charlie doesn’t kill him when he has the chance. Instead, he reveals he’s only been stalling him.

Having taken control of Sean’s boat remotely before he allowed himself to be captured, Charlie arranged for the vessel to leave international waters, which results in Interpol quickly pouncing on Sean and arresting him. In the process, this helps expose the conspiracy that was occurring in the CIA under the direction of CIA Deputy Director Alex Moore. Charlie’s final scheme ends with him not only surviving his seemingly doomed mission for revenge but ensuring that the people who killed his wife (as well as those who benefited from their actions) are brought to justice.

The CIA Conspiracy In The Amateur Explained

Alex Moore Is The Real Villain Of The Amateur

At the heart of The Amateur is a conspiracy that Charlie uncovered during his regular work as a CIA analyst. It turns out that Alex Moore has been operating under the radar of the CIA Director for years, ordering unseen operations that cross moral and ethical lines. Charlie’s research reveals that Moore has been conducting false flag operations to maintain American interests, framing accidental drone strikes on civilians as attacks by suicide bombers and using Sean’s group of mercenaries to carry out his missions.

When Charlie reveals that he knows the truth, it becomes apparent that Moore has no constraints, killing one of his own agents to hide his actions. He only agrees to Charlie’s request for training to buy himself and his forces time to find Charlie’s evidence and orders his death as soon as possible. The darkest fact about this conspiracy is the way it seems to have spread through the CIA. While Moore and his right-hand man are seen being arrested after the scandal is exposed, the numerous other agents under Alex seemingly face no consequences for their actions.

Why Henderson Tries To Kill Charlie

Henderson Is Only Slightly Important In The Overall Narrative

Introduced as Charlie’s new mentor during field training, Henderson is ordered by Moore to kill Charlie as soon he’s given the chance. To Henderson’s surprise, Charlie is clever enough to stay a few steps ahead of his fellow CIA agents. Henderson follows Charlie around the world in pursuit of him, steadily developing an apparent respect for the younger analyst. When Henderson is wounded by another agent during his pursuit of Charlie, Charlie notably hesitates to leave him and doesn’t make any moves to kill him.

This might be why Henderson doesn’t chase after Charlie for the rest of the film. It’s Charlie’s colleague, the Bear, visiting him in Russia instead in a failed bid to talk him out of the mission. Henderson seems to be genuinely saddened by his orders to kill Charlie, ultimately ending the film on decent terms with him. Their final scene together after Charlie returns to the United States implies that Henderson and Charlie have developed a respectful relationship, suggesting they don’t harbor any hard feelings towards one another.

Was The CIA Responsible For Sarah’s Death?

One Of The Biggest Changes Between 2025’s The Amateur And 1981’s Version Is Sarah’s Actual Fate

Although the mercenary group that killed Sarah did work with the CIA on occasion, the American organization wasn’t involved in the mission that resulted in Sarah’s death. According to reports seen in the film, the trio of mercenaries was at the London bank for a job that went south, resulting in numerous deaths. Hoping to make their escape, they took multiple hostages, including Sarah.

As Sean explains to Charlie during their eventual confrontation, Sarah’s death was solely to prove to the police they’d kill the other hostages if they weren’t given a chance to escape. She was just the unlucky hostage to suffer that fate. Audiences may initially believe that CIA conspiracy at the heart of The Amateur could have been involved in Sarah’s death, which was the case in the novel that inspired The Amateur and the previous film adaptation from 1981.

In both of those, Charlie’s fiancée Sarah was killed to help embed a double agent into the terrorist group (Horst in the novel, Schräger in the 1981 movie). In 2025’s The Amateur, it seems the CIA had no interest in having Sarah killed but were willing to slow down the investigation into her killers because of their connections to them. While the specifics are different both versions of the CIA are connected to the villains of The Amateur, although Sarah’s death in the 2025 film is more of a tragic coincidence.

How The Amateur’s Ending Is Different From The Book

2025’s The Amateur Doesn’t Give Charlie As Tidy Of An Ending

The Amateur ends with Charlie returning to the United States, content to have exposed the conspiracy in the CIA and confronted the men who killed his wife. He’s confirmed to resume his work with the CIA, and develops a respect with Henderson. This is very different from the book and the original movie. In previous versions of The Amateur, Charlie works alongside former CIA agent Elizabeth (in the book) and undercover agent Elisabeth (in the 1981 film). In both versions, this character helps Charlie get revenge for the death of his partner before beginning a romance with him.

Inquiline fills this role in 2025’s version of The Amateur, but any romantic interest between the two is downplayed and eventually rendered moot when she’s killed helping Charlie. In the previous versions of the story, Charlie killed the man who murdered his wife despite their secret connection through the CIA. In the new film, Charlie spares Sean but ensures he’s arrested, gaining justice for Sarah’s death while also ensuring the conspiracy is exposed. His trainer Anderson in the original film also doesn’t survive the plot, while Henderson is merely wounded while trying to catch Charlie.

The Real Meaning Of The Amateur

Charlie’s Arc Is About Learning To Fill The Void Left In The Wake Of Grief

The Amateur is ultimately about two warring principal forces that can drive someone to extreme measures. Charlie’s need to see justice for his murdered wife pushes him to expose greater crimes from within his own agency. The villains of The Amateur are shown to be enjoying life, seemingly unbothered by the ramifications of their actions. They aren’t hiding or scheming, they’re enjoying life. A theme of The Amateur is the importance of accountability, with Charlie effectively serving as an unexpected avatar of that philosophy — even if he doesn’t face many consequences for his own actions.

The secondary meaning of The Amateur is somber. At the heart of Charlie’s anger is a deep well of grief. He imagines Sarah around him and tells the Bear that he has to finish his mission because he can’t bear to be at home when she isn’t there. This becomes most pronounced when Inquiline is revealed to also be a widow. They share their grief and agree that having anything, even revenge, is something to fill the emptiness left by their loved ones dying. The Amateur is about trying to overcome grief, and how far that can push a person.