Leon a.k.a. The Professional

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Naomi, Amberly, Jordan

Natalie Portman just thanked Luc Besson in her oscar speech. It reminded me I never saw the full cut of this film. The bluray just arrived so, time to give it a spin.

Besson knows how to make these crime dramas work. He always fills them with great characters. Apparently he wrote and and filmed this while waiting for Bruce Willis's schedule to clear up for The Fifth Element. You could never tell though.

Natalie Portman kicks serious as in this, it's such a great role. And Jean Reno is very funny and sweet. And also kicks some ass. It's the characters and their relationship that give this film such heart. Gary Oldman is at his manic creepiest.

Despite all the shoot outs and violence there is a lot of very funny scenes and also a lot of relationship drama that should be creepy but managed to come of as sweet but awkward. These are the main bits that weren't in original edit but they add so much to the characters and the story, so I'm glad to have finally seen them.