Léon lives an average life. He enjoys musicals. He drinks milk. Oh, and he happens to be the baddest hit-man in New York City. He keeps to himself in his apartment, tending to his single friend — a plant — until a neighbor girl rings his bell. Mathilda’s family has just been gunned down by a crooked cop and his henchmen, and she desperately needs a hiding place. Reluctantly, Léon opens his door and heart to the young girl, who slowly convinces him to become a surrogate father and mentor in the art of killing. Sounds brutal, and there is plenty of violence to be seen, but The Professional resonates with ample doses of warmth and humor as well. Despite his immoral profession, Léon proves to be a caring and sensitive guardian to Mathilda. On the flipside is Gary Oldman as the bad guy, in a typically great over-the-top performance. Like Blue Velvet’s sinister baddie Frank, Oldman’s character self-medicates to enhance the high of his evil deeds, murdering in a giddy delirium. He possesses none of Léon’s humanity, and the two characters’ clashes are as dramatic as they are explosive. The tightly orchestrated action builds increasingly, and at the center are unique figures that we care about. The Professional could easily have toppled from the weight of its emotional baggage and outlandish situations, but truly finds a satisfying balance to it all.

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