Cast. Danny Aiello, Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman.
Luc Besson burst onto the scene in the latter half of the 1980s with a string of visually striking arthouse films - Subway, The Big Blue and Nikita. Critics loved his early work, as did I. It was merely a matter of time before the talented French writer and director caught the eye of executives in the United States.
When the studios came calling, following the success of Nikita, it was for The Fifth Element. Production of the film was delayed because of a scheduling conflict with one of the lead actors, Bruce Willis. Rather than dismiss the entire production team and lose his creative momentum Besson produced Léon.
Despite being set in New York and the English dialogue, Léon at its heart is a uniquely eccentric French drama masquerading as a mainstream crime thriller. The storyline centres on the unlikely friendship between a solitary, soft-spoken Sicilian hitman and a 12-year-old orphan, Mathilda.
Jean Reno plays the eponymous Léon. Following an explosive opening, that showcases the cold-blooded efficiency of the principal character, thereafter the film changes tact and goes not for the jugular, but the heartstrings instead. Reno manages to get the combination of ruthless adult pragmaticism and vulnerable immaturity just right. He imparts a degree of sadness amidst the stoicism of Léon.
Natalie Portman would later go on to establish herself as one of her generation's finest actors and earn an Academy Award for her role as Nina Sayers in Black Swan, but this is an amazingly deft performance in her first feature film (aged 12) as the precocious Mathilda. In particular, Portman demonstrates a wonderful ability to merge her physical immaturity with a world-weary determination for retribution.
Finally, Gary Oldman produces an astonishing and unforgettable performance as the unhinged DEA Agent, Norman Stansfield. Stansfield's menace, malice and mania are entirely unexplained, but with terrifying convulsive side effects, he pops pills that unleash increasingly psychotic histrionics.
There are undoubtedly morally dubious questions to be raised about, (a) the concept of training a 12-year-old girl to become a lethal killer, and (b) the appropriateness of their relationship. But, Besson manages to pull off the difficult subject matter with typical flair and disregard for convention.
Léon is both Mathilde's surrogate father and her (reluctant) tutor. The uneasy undertones of sexuality permeate to the surface, as Léon almost chokes on his milk as the 12-year-old Mathilde dresses up as Madonna and Marilyn Monroe. There is a definite frisson as the relationship unfolds and a couple of scenes that, for some, may be uncomfortable to watch, but I'd argue that the uneasiness of these scenes is diminished by Jean Reno's portrayal of Léon as a solid, stoic, socially awkward character. Mathilde dominates the relationship. I never for a moment believed Léon would take advantage of Mathilde.
The original theatrical release downplays the burgeoning relationship and emotional overtones between Léon and Mathilde. The full uncut version adds approximately 25 minutes to the run time; with additional scenes where Mathilde pushes the boundaries with regard to her feelings for Léon. Studio executives had Luc Besson cut many of these scenes for the theatrical release (especially for the US audience).
There is an emotional depth to Léon absent in Besson's early work (and his subsequent films). To my mind, this is the real strength of Léon, the central relationship between Mathilde and Léon. A touching relationship where he ultimately learns to open up. There is nothing unique about a young girl melting the heart of a lone outcast, except in Léon it is the manner in which Besson approaches the subject.
Léon is undoubtedly Luc Besson at his most brilliant. Well-directed, and oozing with Gallic confidence and style. In truth, the plot is preposterous, but that in no way lessens the enjoyment of the film. Léon's influence can be seen in a myriad of films that have followed it. Few, if any, have bettered it.
Comments
Post a Comment