The visual elements of the scene and their significance to the story

Hal Hartley's 1994 film? Amateur? hurls the viewer into the often complicated and ambiguous world of Postmodern drama. Throughout the film? the director attempts to draw thematic parallels to the current state of society through the use of postmodern premises as well as through character and plot development. As the film and final scene of the work draw to a close? the viewer is left pondering many issues that are often contemplated in postmodern works. Hartley's Amateur explores the search for one's true identity and place within society in the face of hardships and emotional devastation. (Joseph? 2006? 33-41)

A man (Martin Donovan) wakes up one morning lying on his back in a quiet? out-of-the-way street in New York City; all he knows is that he's bleeding from the back of his head and is suffering from total amnesia. He has no identification on him; he has no idea who he is or how he came to be on that street. Dazed? he stumbles into a small coffee shop and sits down at the counter. He tries to order something? but the only money he has is Dutch? and he has no idea why. A young woman? also sitting at the counter and working on a lap-top computer? observes his plight and notices the blood on the back of his neck. (Joseph? 2006? 33-41)

The main characters all come together in upstate New York in a tragicomic climax in which nearly surreal humor takes precedence over full character revelation or dramatic closure. Viewers not in tune with the filmmaker's approach may find the comic elements forced and contrived. But Hartley's technique is now so refined and precise that he easily achieves his desired effects; the artistic layering of stylization in performance? timing and visuals pulls the action sufficiently away from reality to induce one to accept the strange string of events. This same self-conscious artistry? however? may also be the major element limiting Hartley to a small audience.

Donovan can't do much with a character who basically doesn't exist? but remainder of the cast is excellent. Huppert has a sweet gravity underlaid with quietly suggestive humor. Memorable in a minor role in Hartley's last film? "Simple Men?" Lowensohn takes on a much bigger part here? that of the sexpot goddess? and makes the most of it. (Joseph? 2006? 33-41)

Prior to the final scene of the film? much has transpired in the lives of the main characters. The primary focus of the film before the culmination of the final scene is the search for the identity of a character named Thomas. Suffering from amnesia after sustaining a fall in New York City? he is unable to remember any details of his previous life. Isabelle? a former nun who now supports herself by writing pornographic stories for adult magazines? befriends Thomas after a chance meeting in a coffee shop. (Amateur? 1994) Hartley also introduces a character named Sofia? a highly successful star in the pornographic ...