Mathilda Lando (Natalie Portman), a 12-year-old girl, who is reluctantly taken in by Léon Montana (Jean Reno), a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. Léon and Mathilda form an unusual relationship, as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade.
This is what you get if you take "Lolita" (sort of) and put it in the middle of a world with mobsters and hit men. And then casting for perfect actors? Priceless. Luc Besson probably had no idea that Portman would go on to be the international sensation she has become.
Of course, we also have a solid performance from the always-impeccable Gary Oldman. Very few actors are working on his level. Maybe Daniel Day-Lewis, possibly Christian Bale. But Gary Oldman can be anyone and delivers 100% every time.
Roger Ebert gave the film only two-and-a-half stars out of four, writing, "Always at the back of my mind was the troubled thought that there was something wrong about placing a 12-year-old character in the middle of this action... In what is essentially an exercise—a slick urban thriller—it seems to exploit the youth of the girl without really dealing with it." Not to disregard his concern, but time seems to be against Ebert here. The film has steadily gone up in praise over the years, possibly due to Portman's rising star.
This is what you get if you take "Lolita" (sort of) and put it in the middle of a world with mobsters and hit men. And then casting for perfect actors? Priceless. Luc Besson probably had no idea that Portman would go on to be the international sensation she has become.
Of course, we also have a solid performance from the always-impeccable Gary Oldman. Very few actors are working on his level. Maybe Daniel Day-Lewis, possibly Christian Bale. But Gary Oldman can be anyone and delivers 100% every time.
Roger Ebert gave the film only two-and-a-half stars out of four, writing, "Always at the back of my mind was the troubled thought that there was something wrong about placing a 12-year-old character in the middle of this action... In what is essentially an exercise—a slick urban thriller—it seems to exploit the youth of the girl without really dealing with it." Not to disregard his concern, but time seems to be against Ebert here. The film has steadily gone up in praise over the years, possibly due to Portman's rising star.