Typecasting is a double-edged sword. On one hand, we’ve heard countless stories of idiosyncratic actors lamenting that what made them unique has been diluted by a nonstop series of cookie-cutter roles, giving them little, if any, opportunity to show any range. On the other hand, for some performers, it’s likely that without that typecasting, they may never find consistent work to begin with.

Not to say that Rami Malek should be thankful that the roles he receives seem to be contingent upon him recycling the same awkward veneer for which we all recognize him—the man did, after all, win an Oscar for a vaguely convincing, party-trick imitation of Freddie Mercury. Rather, in the case of “The Amateur,” it would be difficult to come to any conclusion aside from this role having been curated entirely for the actor’s fidgety sensibilities.

In the film, Malek goes full chameleon...