The Professional

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2:28

The Professional

R

1994

1h 55m

Mystery & Thriller

Action

Crime

Drama

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

66 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is only 12 years old, but is already familiar with the dark side of life: her abusive father stores drugs for corrupt police officers, and her mother neglects her. Léon (Jean Reno), who lives down the hall, tends to his houseplants and works as a hired hitman for mobster Tony (Danny Aiello). When her family is murdered by crooked DEA agent Stansfield (Gary Oldman), Mathilda joins forces with a reluctant Léon to learn his deadly trade and avenge her family's deaths.

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Critics Consensus

Pivoting on the unusual relationship between seasoned hitman and his 12-year-old apprentice -- a breakout turn by young Natalie Portman -- Luc Besson's Léon is a stylish and oddly affecting thriller.

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Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

11/11/2019

4/5

Luc Besson's first English-language hit is, like much of the Frenchman's work, less than subtle, yet it is stylish, disturbing and weirdly moving.

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Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

06/04/2014

Leave it to french writer-director Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita) to put a kinky twist on Orphan Annie and Daddy Warbucks.

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Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

06/04/2014

3/4

Ultimately, like La Femme Nikita, there may be less here than meets the eye. But what does meet the eye is pretty darn thrilling.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jun 16

2.5/4

Gary Oldman’s unbearably hammy turn ranks as perhaps the worst performance of his career.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

07/06/2024

7/10

As an action thriller, often stylized with violence and irony, never loses its pulse or sense of intrigue as it explores the urban tale about the professional killer who protects the orphan girl in the corrupt streets of New York. [Full review in Spanish]

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

06/29/2024

4/5

‘…Leon: The Professional is notable for a trio of iconic performances from Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and Gary Oldman, the latter setting a gold standard for manic villainy that’s rarely been bettered…’

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Mahan D

@Mah89an Aug 18

It’s so good, you genuinely won’t find a movie like this anywhere else💃

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TWMax65 T

@RT38199094 Aug 8

Really good action and great acting from Gary Oldman! He plays quite the villain!

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J H

@UpstateNYThriller Jul 22

8.3/10 Action / suspsnse Mid 90s NYC Young Natalie Portman's parents are killed by corrupt creepy DEA agent She befriends Italian hitman and he teaches her to take revenge

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Kyle L

@Foolonthehill Jul 7

Young Nathalie Portman finds love in the most unlikely of places

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Diptanshu G

@RT88284252 Jul 5

It was Uncomfortable to watch but its an well made movie, there's always an element of surprise of what will happen next and the flow of the movie was on point, Overall a good movie.

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Pipe Smoking L

@RT92467537 Jul 5

Natalie Portman's first and last greatest performance! One of this Reviewer's all-time favorite movies! One of the most realistic and believable depictions of gunplay and violence of the 20th century shot on film! The acting is superb! If you have not seen this movie, you are dumb. If you do not see the message through the common houseplant at the end, you are dumber.

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Luc Besson

Director

Jean Reno

Léon

Gary Oldman

Stansfield

Natalie Portman

Mathilda

Danny Aiello

Tony

Peter Appel

Malky

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Synopsis

Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is only 12 years old, but is already familiar with the dark side of life: her abusive father stores drugs for corrupt police officers, and her mother neglects her. Léon (Jean Reno), who lives down the hall, tends to his houseplants and works as a hired hitman for mobster Tony (Danny Aiello). When her family is murdered by crooked DEA agent Stansfield (Gary Oldman), Mathilda joins forces with a reluctant Léon to learn his deadly trade and avenge her family's deaths.

Director: Luc Besson
Screenwriter: Luc Besson
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, Columbia TriStar Home Video
Production Co: Gaumont, Gaumont International, Les Films du Dauphin
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1994, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $19.0M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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