Well I was very pleasantly surprised with this film. Of course I know that it is on IMDB's top 250 and has a very high 8.6 average rating (keep in mind that The Godfather has a 9.1). Anyone that knows me also knows that I am a huge fan of Jean Reno. He always brings a quiet confidence and elegance to his roles. It is a refreshing and rewarding experience to watch him. For his role in The Professional, he is also using a subtle approach, though with none of the confidence. He plays Leon: an immigrant, gun for hire, ravenous milk drinker, and socially awkward fellow. The performance is great because he is so believable as a stone cold killer that doesn't know how to act around a child. And that is the center of the movie. Mathilda (Natalie Portman) lives a few doors down from Leon who is constantly abused by her family, but most importantly her drug dealing father. When the corrupt cop Stansfield (Gary Oldman) comes knocking at the door wanting to know where 10% of his drugs went....well lets just say he isn't pleased. In a fit of rage Stansfield kills Mathilda's entire family while she is at the corner store getting milk. As she returns she slowly walks past the carnage to Leon's door, praying he will let her in. He is the only one to ever show her kindness, he is her only hope.
This is where the story really starts picking up. Before I forget I will mention the performances of Oldman and Portman. The very young Natalie Portman was only 13 when she took this very complex role opposite the veteran actors Reno and Oldman, and she owns her performance like a veteran actress herself. Anyone watching it would have known that she would become the actress we know her as today. Oldman is also excellent as the crooked cop with a bit of a mental problem. Psycho yet calculating, he is the ultimate bad guy.
The reason The Professional is universally liked is it has two things - most films only have one or the other. Action and story. Very few films can nail both so that each end of the viewer spectrum is touched on. The story is great. A quirky drama that unfolds into a buddy comedy but still keeps the dramatic overtones. The action will also leave even the most hardened fan saying "Yeah!" during the violent sequences.
All in all an excellent film. The music and cinematography complemented the entire film and each other nicely though there was nothing special about either. I highly recommend watching though it is for sure adults only.
IMDB here.
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