Status
Released
original language
fr
Budget
$ 16000000
Revenue
$ 45284974
Léon Montana
Mathilda Lando
Norman Stansfield
Tony
Malky
Mathilda's Father
Mathilda's Mother
Mathilda's Sister
Mathilda's Brother
Bodyguard Chief
1st Stansfield Man
2nd Stansfield man
3rd Stansfield man (Benny)
Stansfield man
Stansfield man
Fatman
Leon's Taxi driver
Tonto
Blond Babe
Mickey
Stairway Swat
Manolo
Old Lady
Receptionist
Ball Kid
Cigarette Kid
1st Policeman
2nd Policeman
1st Security man
Orphanage Headmistress
Swat Hostage
Swat Chief
Doctor
Important Jogger
Client #1
3rd Security Guard
Subway Rapper
DEA Security Guard
Security Guard
Bodyguard
Newspaperman
Girl
Chinatown Boss' sidekick
Tony's Barber
Swat 1
Swat 2
Swat 3
Swat 4
Swat 5
Swat 6
Swat 7
Swat 8
Swat 9
Extra (uncredited)
Jimmy, SWAT Team Member (uncredited)
Written by rozmiarek on 2021-09-04
HOW TO MAKE A FEMALE ASSASSIN. TRAUMA, TRAINING THEN GET HER EXTRA ANGRY. NATILIE PORTMANS FIRST ASSASSIN ROLE AND HOPEFULLY NOT HER LAST. WE NEED A PART 2 TO THIS MOVIE.
Written by Niemand on 2023-08-06
This films stars a 12-year old Natalie Portman as Mathilda, a girl living with her abusive stepfather, a step-sister, mother, and four-year old brother. She doesn’t care for any of these people except her brother. One day, she returns home from getting the groceries to find corrupt DEA agents have killed her entire family. Key amongst those agents is Stansfield, played by Gary Oldman. Seeking refuge in the flat of a neighbour she had befriended earlier, Léon (Jean Reno), she learns that he is a hitman. She makes a deal with him: she will look after the flat by doing the domestic chores if he will teach her how to get revenge on the men who killed her brother. Strange though the synopsis may be, the relationship between Léon and Mathilda is kept innocent, and the scenes between the two are believable. Mathilda’s sexual awareness is at a nascent stage and her exposure to the sordid side of life with her recently deceased family (her step-father worked for drug-dealers) means she is perhaps not as innocent as most 12-year old girls; however, Léon is unwilling to take advantage of the situation. This means the story can focus on the platonic relationship between the two, the bond that develops between them, and how each affects the other’s life. Although it may seem a little far-fetched that a young girl would accompany a hitman during his work, Léon ensures that her assistance is required only on fairly routine hits that follow a well-defined pattern. For the more complex hits he leaves her behind. There is a thread of humour running through the film, but you must bear in mind the film is framed in the world of corruption and greed and all is not sweet and light, and graphic violence is depicted. Jean Reno is wonderful as the extremely good but placid hitman, whose whole outlook on life is changed by the young Mathilda, played wonderfully by Natalie Portman in her first film. I’ve not read it, but I understand that Eppie has a similar effect on Silas Marner, as described in the book of the same name. I found Gary Oldman’s performance histrionic, the only let-down in the film, albeit not something that spoilt the film as a whole. Recommended.