A somewhat startling film in places that makes you question what goes through some people's heads. Leon is brought to life by mesmerizing performances from Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman and Jean Reno. Gary Oldman is the pick of the punch, so much so that it wasn't until the last few scenes that I actually realised that it was Gary Oldman. It wasn't that his face or general appearance had changed, it's just that his performance was so different and engaging that i stopped thinking about who it was playing those parts and just allowed myself to enjoy the film.
I couldn't believe it when, after the film had hit the two hour mark i suddenly thought- that's Gary Oldman! I had seen his name on the cast list and had been wondering when he was going to turn up, not actually realising that he had appeared at the start of the film as well and I just hadn't clicked that it was him. Single handedly he carried this film, he was a head and shoulders above the others in terms of acting (and the others were good).
Jean Reno (whom up to now I only knew from the terrible remake of 'The Pink Panther') was very surprising. He was that dark mysterious character that didn't really come to life until the end when he showed that he was able to care for someone and some of the scenes between Natalie Portman and Reno were quite moving. The character had morals (even if they were slightly questionable at times) and stuck to them. These morals were really what displayed Reno's quality as an actor. The transformation between almost inhuman and suddenly very compassionate and almost classically human was transcendent.
Now we move on to the actor with all the questionable activities associated with her character. This film is really what kick started Natalie Portman's career. A 12 year old Natalie Portman stars in this film and the first shot we get of her is when she is sitting outside her door smoking. She smokes throughout this film and as a spectator I immediately questioned the director. It may be the norm for young people to be smoking from an early age but in 1994 it wasn't and certainly we shouldn't be encouraging twelve year olds to smoke and chain smoke. Portman throughout most of the film is either smoking or swearing. There is also a scene where she dresses up and sleeps in the same bed as Leon. In the scripted version they actually become loves. The script is quite shocking as most of us are aware that pedophilia is not something that should be encouraged and is entirely not acceptable. I think that Portman's parents had that cut out of the film and rightly so as no twelve year old girl (actor or not) should be allowed or encouraged to sleep with an adult.
I don't want to take anything away from Natalie Portman as she was fantastic in Leon the professional but it was a film that I personally feel that she shouldn't have made. I don't think that any child should have been scripted in, the way that she was.
Needless to say that overall she has done very well for herself and made a good batch of films (and a few interesting ones as well).
I couldn't believe it when, after the film had hit the two hour mark i suddenly thought- that's Gary Oldman! I had seen his name on the cast list and had been wondering when he was going to turn up, not actually realising that he had appeared at the start of the film as well and I just hadn't clicked that it was him. Single handedly he carried this film, he was a head and shoulders above the others in terms of acting (and the others were good).
Jean Reno (whom up to now I only knew from the terrible remake of 'The Pink Panther') was very surprising. He was that dark mysterious character that didn't really come to life until the end when he showed that he was able to care for someone and some of the scenes between Natalie Portman and Reno were quite moving. The character had morals (even if they were slightly questionable at times) and stuck to them. These morals were really what displayed Reno's quality as an actor. The transformation between almost inhuman and suddenly very compassionate and almost classically human was transcendent.
Now we move on to the actor with all the questionable activities associated with her character. This film is really what kick started Natalie Portman's career. A 12 year old Natalie Portman stars in this film and the first shot we get of her is when she is sitting outside her door smoking. She smokes throughout this film and as a spectator I immediately questioned the director. It may be the norm for young people to be smoking from an early age but in 1994 it wasn't and certainly we shouldn't be encouraging twelve year olds to smoke and chain smoke. Portman throughout most of the film is either smoking or swearing. There is also a scene where she dresses up and sleeps in the same bed as Leon. In the scripted version they actually become loves. The script is quite shocking as most of us are aware that pedophilia is not something that should be encouraged and is entirely not acceptable. I think that Portman's parents had that cut out of the film and rightly so as no twelve year old girl (actor or not) should be allowed or encouraged to sleep with an adult.
I don't want to take anything away from Natalie Portman as she was fantastic in Leon the professional but it was a film that I personally feel that she shouldn't have made. I don't think that any child should have been scripted in, the way that she was.
Needless to say that overall she has done very well for herself and made a good batch of films (and a few interesting ones as well).
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