Leon: The Professional

 3/4

Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman, Danny Aiello

The version being reviewed is unrated.  For the record, the theatrical cut is rated R for Scenes of Strong Graphic Violence, and for Language

"Leon: The Professional" is Luc Besson's attempt to fuse an American action movie with European sensibilities.  It isn't a perfect mix, but with strong action and some energetic action scenes, it's worth checking out.

Mathilda (Portman) is living a life straight out of Dickens.  Her father is a dope dealer, her mother cares little about her daughter, and her older sister beats her up.  Only her younger brother is a decent human being (possibly because he's too young to be infected by their rot.  One day, her family is gunned down by a corrupt DEA officer named Stansfield (Oldman).  Luckily for her, she was out buying groceries at the time.  She ends up in the apartment of a neighbor, a quiet man named Leon (Reno).  When she discovers that he is a hitman, she asks him to help her get revenge for her baby brother's murder (she's glad to be rid of everyone else).

This is a straightforward action movie that takes the time to develop the principal characters.  The relationship between Mathilda and Leon is effectively developed and generates some empathy.  It's also fascinating, particularly because Jean Reno (always underrated as an actor) and Natalie Portman (in her film debut) are so good.  Their relationship is as peculiar as it is fascinating.

Leon is a man of few words and fewer ties to the world.  That's just how he likes it.  He's an enigma even to himself.  He knows Mathilda as the girl on the stoop, but she enters into his life because she has nowhere else to go.  The adult/child roles in their relationship are ever shifting.  He is her mentor in the "cleaning" business, but he won't allow her to pass the point of no return.  She gets him to open up and see that there is more to life than being a conscienceless killer.

It is true that Besson skirts dangerous material here.  After all, how can one justify watching an 11 year old girl kill people or come onto a midde-aged man as "entertainment."  But the film successfully deals with these issues with a delicate touch.  For example, Mathilda falls in love with Leon, or believes she does, and makes it clear that she is attracted to him.  But Leon is not a pedophile and resolutely refuses to do anything inappropriate.  According to Reno, he decided to play the character as slow and repressed so that the audience would understand that Leon could not even conceive of reciprocating her affections.  It is also clear that Mathilda's feelings aren't love, but simply an innocent crush that people develop in puberty. The one scene where is propositions him is handled in such a way that suggests that she may not fully understand what she is asking him to do.  Leon clearly understands this and turns her down.  As for the violence, well, Besson sidesteps it by keeping it strictly at the popcorn level.  Roger Ebert found fault with this, but I didn't.  Dealing realistically with the idea of a young girl becoming a killer is outside the scope of the film.  This isn't "Menace II Society," and as such should not be judged by that standard.

These are tricky roles, and neither Jean Reno nor Natalie Portman falter.  Leon's violent occupation belies his gentle heart.  He's not mentally equipped to seriously consider the morality or consequences of his actions.  Natalie Portman, who does best playing intelligent, modern women, shows the sparkle that turned her into a star.  And few people are more reliable for playing a great maniac than Gary Oldman.  He's clearly enjoying himself as a whacked out nutcase.  I wish he had more scenes.

If there is a disappointment, it's with the climax.  The early action scenes have a lot of energy and are dazzling to watch.  The climax goes for realism.  Perhaps Besson was cognizant of how the film's story had developed, but it doesn't work.  The film seems to be building to a showdown between Leon and Mathilda versus Stansfield and "EVERYONE" as he infamously screams.  But by keeping it grounded, Besson robs it of its excitement and drama.  Some movies do well with realistic portrayals of violence, but this isn't one of them.

On the whole, though, I enjoyed myself.  Leon and Mathilda are likable and compelling characters while Oldman foams at the mouth.  It's a good movie.

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