PROFESSIONAL, THE

Leon (Jean Reno) is a precise, calculating hit man--a consummate professional, with no family and no friends, However, he has casually befriended Mathilda (Natalie Portman, in an auspicious debut), a 12 year-old neighbor whose entire family, including her adored 4-year-old brother, is wiped out by some crooked DEA agents, The girl pleads with Leon to teach her how to be a "cleaner" and avenge her little brother's death, However, once she learns a few skills, Mathilda saunters into the DEA offices with the sole intention of killing the psychotic agent (Gary Oldman) who actually masterminded the executions, But her intended victim turns the tables on her, and Leon must rescue her, LEON was French director Luc Besson's first film shot in America.