Leon

I decided to think long and hard about what my first movie on this blog should be. I have a list of over 60 films that I want to review, and after a bit of deliberation, I thought it would be fitting to start with one of my all-time favourite movies: Leon, also know as The Professional.

I first seen this movie about 2 years ago while I was at university, and I loved it so much I watched it over and over. I think it deserves to be my first blog review subject.

Released in 1994 under the direction of Luc Besson (The Fifth Element, The Transporter films), Leon stars Jean Reno as the titular character, and Academy Award winner Natalie Portman (in her film debut) as Mathilda. The film takes place in New York City, where our main character Leon, an Italian immigrant, lives a sheltered life in his apartment. He lives next door to Mathilda and her dysfunctional, abusive family, and while he often overhears their turmoil (such as arguments and domestic violence), he chooses not to get involved.

But one day, while Mathilda is out shopping, her family is visited by local DEA agents, led by Norman Stansfield (an incredible performance by Gary Oldman). We discover that Mathilda's father is a drug holder for him. Believing that he has been cutting their drugs, Stansfield storms into their apartment and kills everyone, including Mathilda's beloved young brother. Returning after a shopping trip to find her family dead, she walks past the devastation and knocks on Leon's door, knowing she will be killed otherwise. Reluctantly, Leon lets her in. Why is he so reticent to have her staying there? Because he happens to be one of the worlds greatest assassins of course!

Being strangely intrigued by this, Mathilda decides that she wants Leon to teach her how to be a 'cleaner' in order to avenge her brothers murder. And so begins one of the most dynamic, idiosyncratic on-screen relationships in cinema.

The film follows the 2 main characters as they attempt to come to terms with how each other lives. Think Trading Places but with a 12 year old-girl and a middle age hired killer.

As the film progress, we see the 2 growing closer, as Leon decides to take her on some of his 'jobs', teaching her how to clean. In exchange, she teaches him how to read, and does menial work for him such as cleaning.

The main characters and their interactions is what makes this film so enjoyable to watch. It's a classic mismatched pairing, but done under such unique circumstances. In 1 scene, Mathilda reveals she is in love with Leon, a sentiment he does not reciprocate.

The DVD version I own is know as the extended version which contains roughly 10 scenes that were removed from the cinematic release. These scenes, while notably controversial, are, to me some of the best for developing the bond between our protagonists. These deleted scenes include Leon showing Mathilda how to use a rifle; Mathilda playing Russian Roulette to convince Leon to let her join him; and undoubtably the most questionable scene, where Mathilda asks Leon to be her first sexual partner. Yeah, bit of a PC no-no.

The movies climax is one of the most entertaining spectacles in film history, and one of the highlights of the movie. I don't want to ruin it for you, but needless to say, it's unforgettable, and wraps up the film up perfectly.

I love this film. Love the characters, the acting, the action scenes, the dialogue, everything it has to offer. Jean Reno gives a gentle and heart-warming performance as our enigmatic antihero, and Natalie Portman gives an acting turn that I didn't think a child actor ever could. And of course we have the ever-reliable Gary Oldman, giving an amusing and often unsettling performance as our villain. Anyone that can make a speech about classical music after killing several innocent people is, in my book, a true badass.

My recommendation, check this film out. It's a great experience as well as a great film. It's sure to leave a lasting impact on you.