Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The Professional

Day 217 - 8/5/09 - Movie #213

BEFORE: No, it's not based on a comic book. But this seems to have turned into "Terrorist and Vigilantes" week - and I felt this movie would make sense here, with back-to-back Natalie Portman films.

THE PLOT: Professional assassin Leon reluctantly takes care of 12-year-old Mathilda, a neighbor whose parents are killed, and teaches her his trade.

AFTER: Ms. Portman seems to have a knack for hanging out with a bad crowd - if it's not a Dark Lord of the Sith, she's associating with terrorists and hit men. This was her first major film role, and she plays the savviest pre-teen this side of Jodie Foster in "Taxi Driver". Jean Reno plays Leon, the expert hitman, and I wish they'd shown more of his "jobs", because they're the highlight of the film.

It's a strange pairing - Matilda teaches Leon to read and connect emotionally, and he teaches her how to clean and fire guns. Gary Oldman steals the film though (as he usually does...) by playing a corrupt DEA agent who pops pills before taking someone out.

RATING: 6 out of 10 milk cartons

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