Leon: The Professional

Luc Besson's "Leon: The Professional" is a very hard film to review because in terms of how good of a film it is, as a piece of art, it's near perfect, but it has one glaring theme that while it adds something entirely unique, original and complex to its story is so difficult to watch, and that is of course the relationship between the titular hitman and his young protege Mithilda. 

For all its uncomfortable moments I cannot deny that I absolutely love this film. Natalie Portman, Jean Reno and Gary Oldman are all phenomenal in it. I love the story, the pacing is perfect, the dynamic and chemistry between the two leads, it's challenging, disturbing, oddly funnily in places while being extremely dark, often managing to masterfully balance being of these things at the same time. 

The story as I'm sure you know already follows a young girl who narrowly escapes being brutally murdered along with the rest of her family by knocking on the door of her next door neighbour, who just so happens to be a professional hitman. Before long they develop a "friendship" of sorts and she begs him to induct her into his line of work. Now it's the nature of this relationship that is the core of the film. 

Matilda, who is only twelve, is in love with Leon who is in his mid-forties. This isn't merely suggested, Natalie Portman is undeniably sexualised throughout the film and as much as I want to talk around it, I can't, it's actually impossible to do so because of how much of the runtime is dedicated to showing how Matilda's desire for companionship and to feel safe has evolved into a messy and confused longing for a romantic relationship with her forty year old saviour. I believe that's what Luc Besson was going for and honestly, yes, it works.

It is strongly implied that Mathilda was sexually and physically abused by her father it makes sense that she would feel this way given the circumstances and what Leon represents to her.
Here's the thing, of course I think its disturbing, of course I think its wrong to have Natalie Portman as a twelve year old say those things to a forty year old man, of course I think that there's some really disagreeable messages that could be read into all of it. 

However, It undeniably works. Why?, 
well because Natalie Portman's acting is so good in this film, 
that's why. 

Awful as it is, it's all extremely believable, every awkward moment of it. I can imagine these people existing in the real world. It's not unusual for children who have been sexually abused to become sexually active at an immature age,  it happens and Natalie Portman plays the naive yet overly mature Mathilda brilliantly, and I'm sorry but saying anything less is taking away from her what is a truly outstanding performance. 

I have to be honest about the film, the themes are troubling, 
although you never get the impression that the type of love shared between the two is reciprocal, It could still be read that way. 

It is shown for the most part that Leon loves Mathilda like a daughter and that Mathilda loves Leon like a lover. But there are undeniably moments when this relationship has romantic implications. When Leon turns down her advances he never gives the reason that its because of her age, he tells her a story about an ex-girlfriend who was murdered and explicitly tells her that he would not make a good lover, while not once mentioning the fact  that it's absolutely out of the question because she cannot consent as she is literally a child. 

I think if you had at least a scene like that it would make it more palatable. 

In conclusion, 
It's a phenomenal film and undeniably part of that is due to its unflinching look at its subject matter and the depiction of the complex relationship between its two leads but christ is it troubling to watch at times.