A FILM PERTAINING TO THE FACT THAT MOST THINGS THAT MATTER IN LIFE HAVE NO AGE : "LEON"

Well, what a film this turned out to be, eh? I defy anyone to watch this film and not be moved, even the most ardent “anti-French cinema” supporter among you… Luc Besson, Jean Reno and what a debut for Nathalie Portman, eh? It’s very strange to watch the film today, knowing what this film led to, what she became… Now, this is not a film for the faint hearted. I mean, it is violent but not gory, that is not my problem… But some people (my Mom for instance) cannot “take it” when children are involved and sadly (because it’s truly a great film) she may not be able to take it… Just so as you know… Heads up…
Mathilda (Nathalie Portman) is a 12 year old, living in New York. She has a pretty average life living with her father (who stores drugs for various shady characters around the house) her step sister, step mother and kid brother. She lives across the landing from Leon (Jean Reno) a quiet guy who keeps to himself and just happens to be one of the best and most ruthless hired killers in town. Not that any of his neighbors know this, they just know he’s a weird guy who drinks a lot of milk… Anyway, one day, one of Mathilda’s dad’s deals goes south. The entire family, minus Mathilda herself, is slaughtered. Mathilda takes refuge in Leon’s apartment. But once she figures out what her new friend actually does for a living, she isn’t scared. Quite the contrary: She wants to learn how to be a killer. She wants revenge – and she wants to get it herself…
Leon is just one of those films where… Well, one of those films where you are asked your opinion on the film and there is so much to say, so much emotion involved, you just don’t know what to say or where to start… The main theme of the film is love. Not necessarily romantic love; but that comes into it too (don’t cringe there is NOTHING err… “worrying” going on between Mathilda and Leon – their love is a lot purer than that). No, it’s about the basic need we all have to be loved really. And what we are prepared to do once / if we find that love. Love of a family, a lover, a sister, a brother, a child… Two runaways, two lonely creatures united in their need to belong, even though Leon, like most grownups, has great difficulty admitting this need. It is about growing up, getting older and the difference between the two…
But the trick is to see beyond the age difference between Leon and Mathilda. A lot of people did of course, but as I said, it could be tricky. The thing to remember is that souls are in fact very different from bodies and you can easily have a 12 year old whose soul is much older or a grownup who is barely twelve in some respects… You will be thinking about this and a lot more as you watch the film…
It is also a brilliant reminder as to why exactly Jean Reno seems to turn up in about half the French films that make it worldwide (I say half because the other half usually contains Gerard Depardieu. Not that I have anything against either actor but it’s a funny coincidence, no?). Brilliant acting in a tough part. And you wouldn’t expect it to be tough would you? The silent hit man that keeps to himself… NOT that simple… Not that simple at all… And what about the pint-sized Nathalie Portman? I admire her greatly but having seen her in a few more things I genuinely think she has yet to do anything better… She is so brilliant as Mathilda; not quite an adult but definitely not 12 anymore either…
In short, you would have to have a heart of stone not be touched by it…