Reviews (339)

One of the greatest films ever.
I think this film is a masterpiece. Luc Besson has beautifully directed this achievement and it is probably his best film (Fifth Element aside). The best thing about this film is the different emotions you feel. You feel hatred, happiness, worry, and sadness all for one character. Leon is a professional (hence the title) cleaner, or hitman. He is a very alone person who has no friends. He does have a soft spot for the 12 year old girl Mathilda(wonderfully portrayed by Natalie Portman). When Mathilda's family is killed, she stays with Leon, but she wants revenge. Leon begins teaching her the tricks of the trade which provides some very funny moments. They begin to get very close, and he feels love for the girl. I will not ruin the whoile story for you but it really is a must see.Jean Reno was born for this part and Gary Oldman plays the eccentric bad guy very well. This movie does have some explosive action scenes, but it is really more of a drama. Yes there is a directors cut which in my opinion isn't much better than the regular and the regular is 10 bucks cheaper. Buy this film either way and you will be wonderfully happy with your purchase.

Best Film Ever Made. Natalie Portman is Perfect.
This movie has, what I beleive, the best performance from a child actor ever, from a 12-year-old Natalie Portman. Her character Mathilda shows the innocence of a kid, and the depth of a person out for revenge. Why she didn't get an Oscar is beyond me. And this was her first movie.

The story is really good. A hitman named Leon (Jean Reno) helps a girl named Mathilda after her family is shot down by corrupt DEA officers led by Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman). When she finds out about Leon's job as a "cleaner" she asks to be trained as a hitman to avenge her little brother's death. Despite Leon's concerns he teaches her anyway, but over the course of his teachings, Mathilda develops feelings for him. This is something the uncut version explores a little deeper.

I suppose some of the scenes were taken from the American release for their subject matter. A scene where Mathilda wants to take her love for Leon to the next level really gives a good insight into Leon's past. It dosen't lead to anything between the two, so I don't see why they cut it. Other scenes included are Leon giving Mathilda some on the job training when he goes on his hits. I can see where some groups in America could have protested that, but it makes their relationship more deeper and complex.

An outstanding film, you really should see this version to get the whole story. I highly recommend it, it is my favorite of all time. Luc Besson's masterpiece can be fully appreciated on this release. I've been hearing rumors about a sequel in the works. I can only pray it's true, but this film is a tough act to follow.

Natalie Portman in her best role!
I don't usually like to watch movies about hit men or cops and robbers. I remember I got interested in this movie because of two things: Luc Besson's movie the Fifth Element, which was so wildly different and fascinating that I wanted to see what else this French director had done; and secondly, seeing Natalie Portman for the first time in the Star Wars: Phantom Menace movie.

Behind all of the dense make up and bad script and horribly non-existent directing from George Lucas in Phantom Menace, I sensed in Natalie Portman one heck of a terrific young actress struggling to come up with a meaningful performance. In "Leon - The Professional", working with a superb director, her acting talent is on full display.

When one thinks of modern day child actors, Anna Paquin comes to mind, in "The Piano", because she aced out some terrific adult actresses in 1993 to win the Oscar. Well, Natalie Portman, at age 12, had Anna Paquin beat by a mile in this movie, since her character takes up about half of the movie. If not for the truly unusual and off-beat story line of this movie, Portman would have gotten a lot more attention for her role in this movie, I think.

If you just focus on Portman's facial expressions and the way she carries herself in this movie, she goes through an amazing acting range in this movie, from hurt, terrified, bored, stuck up, cool and calculating, manipulative, sweet, child-like, and pubescent sexual allure.

As mentioned by other reviewers, the uncut version restores scenes that basically give a harder edge to Natalie Portman's character. The additional scenes of her assassin training with Leon and her efforts to attract and get closer to Leon definitely put her character in a harsher light. I remember from my first viewing of the cut U.S. version that Mathilda came across as a much more sweet and innocent child. The uncut version shows her more to be a hardened child of the mean streets of New York. Given the usual Hollywood propensities, it's not that surprising that these scenes got cut for the U.S. release. The uncut version does show the fullest acting range of Natalie Portman, even if they make her character less sympathetic.

Basically, the movie skates close to, but avoids the pedophilia controversies of the "Lolita" movies by having the character of Leon adhere to a strict code of ethics that firmly blocks all of Mathilda's advances. Even at the end, when he kisses her good-by and says that he loves her, it is clearly in the vein of being her protector and a big brother/father surrogate figure.

All in all, this was a great movie. Jean Reno was just so hauntingly sad as the loner-assassin Leon. Gary Oldman was definitely over the top in his portrayal of the crazed DEA agent - you almost expected his Dracula fangs to come out and his eyes to glow red when he popped those pills into his mouth.

So all of you Natalie Portman fans, this movie is a definite must-see. All of you Phantom Menace/Attack of the Clones haters who think that Natalie Portman can't act, you've got to see this movie to understand that no, Natalie Portman is a terrific actress. It's just really, really tough to play opposite total stiffs like Hayden Christiansen and Jake Lloyd, working with an idiot director like George Lucas.

Got Milk?
There's hardly anything I can say that will do justice to the splendor of 'Leon - The Professional'. The insanity of both the action sequences and Gary Oldman's performance... the touching love story of 2 lonely outcasts... the fantastic cinematography... the heart-breaking tragedy... the pulsing score... the violent life of a shy, milk-drinking, plant-loving hitman... the soul of an innocent little girl... the blistering, chaotic, blood-drenched fury that lives in all 3 of these characters...

...Wow...

...It's just a vortex of beautiful destruction. All these things crammed into one amazing film. A remarkable cast giving remarkable performances, and a very visual director shoving this seething powerhouse of a film right in our faces...

Like I said, there's nothing I can say. So, just believe me when I tell you that this is a very great film.

Great cinematic masterpiece
REALLY GREAT! IT WAS DONE LIKE A FOREIGN FILM, BUT I REALLY LOVED THE WAY IT WAS DONE. AND THE ACTING WAS GREAT! ... Read more

Reviews (523)

Homer meets The Three Stooges in the Mississippi Delta!
Alright, folks... here's your riddle of the day: Whaddaya get if you cross the Three Stooges with the Greek poet Homer?

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" that's what!

Here is another superb comedy finely crafted by screenwriters /producers/ directors Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro, it features a brilliantly written script, superb acting by a wonderful ensemble cast, and a musical score that's simply second to none.

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is a simple story really... set in the Mississippi delta region during the Great Depression, it's the tale of three petty criminals who escape from the chain gang in quest of buried treasure and experience a series of misadventures along the way. Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney) is the silver-tongued, self-appointed leader of this odd trio, a man who claims to have stolen and buried over a million dollars in cash. Delmar O'Donnell is the docile, sweet-tempered dimwit (played to perfection by Tim Blake Nelson). The third member of our little gang is an irritable, acerbic fella named Pete. Together they set off, chained to each other, in search of McGill's treasure, which is buried somewhere about to become a man-made lake. Our heroes have only four days to find the loot before it's lost forever at the bottom of the newly created reservoir.

As they begin their journey, the run across an old blind seer who prophesies that they will find a fortune, but not the one they seek. with a posse of law enforcement officers and vigilantes hot on their heels, Everett, Pete and Delmar ditch their chains and prison garb and continue on their quest.

Our trio's journey is anything but quiet and uneventful. They continually run into strange people and situations... At one point, soon after stealing a car and picking up a guitar-playing hitch-hiker, they stop at a local radio station and, posing as an "old-timey" music group called the "Soggy Bottom Boys," they cut a record that's soon all the rage throughout the region. Later they encounter a Baptist congregation at river's edge, singing a beautiful song, lulling our heroes into sweet forgetfulness for a few brief moments. They happen upon three washer-women, also at river's edge, whose siren-like song ensnares our three miscreants... George Nelson, a bank robber on the run, who nearly co-opts our heroes into a REAL life of crime... the one-eyed, fast-talking Bible salesman Dan Teague (played by John Goodman) who offers Everett, Pete, and Delmar a hard lesson on economics and life in general in the Depression-ravaged Deep South... and other characters as well: Governor Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel, running for re-election against a reform-minded candidate named Homer Stokes... Everett's ex-wife Penny, soon to me re-married to a real drone named Vernon Waldrip... and a whole gang of fellas dressed in white sheets and hoods who take exception to our heroes' intrusion into their ceremonies.

One of "O Brother, Where Art Thou's?" greatest strengths is its musical score. As the Coen brothers point out, nary a scene goes by without some kind of music in the background. The songs - 19 of them by my count - are all wonderful. It's a sublime mixture of old-time gospel and country music and African-American spirituals. From James Carter and the Prisoners' "Po' Lazarus," through Alison Krause's sweetly simple and reverent "Down to the River to Pray" (with brilliant harmonies added by the First Baptist Choir of White House, Tennessee); the old-time country classics "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Hard Rock Candy Mountain," and "You Are My Sunshine;" to the old-time Gospel classics "Keep On the Sunny Side;" "I'll Fly Away" and "I Am Weary (Let Me Rest)," (and many other songs as well), the music adds an extra dimension to this already multi-faceted film. (By the way, all these songs can be found on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack compact disc... but that's another review!)

I've now watched "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" about a dozen times. Each viewing has been a genuine pleasure for me. This film is clever in its conception, extraordinary in its execution, sublime in its storytelling, and masterful in its music. In short... wonderfully entertaining in every respect. A definite "must-see" for movie-lovers everywhere!

A Coles Notes approach to Homer's "The Odyssey"
"O Brother Where Art Thou" was an entertaining journey through the Great Depression and Homer's Odyssey. The stellar cast (including George Clooney, John Turturro, John Goodman, and Holly Hunter) shines. All of the characters are quirky to say the least: a one-eyed KKK Bible salesman, a Dapper Dan-obsessed intellectual jailbird, a blues guitarist who sold his soul to the devil, a blind "prophet," the Devil bent on revenge. This is a Coles Notes approach to Homer at best (even the directors, Joel and Ethan Cohen ("Fargo," "The Big Lebowski," "Raising Arizona") admit to never actually having read "The Odyssey," the story on which "O Brother" is based), yet is unusual and highly entertaining in its own right.

Fueled by an eclectic soundtrack, "O Brother" brought about an unheard-of resurgence of early country music, winning the Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack and outselling most other CDs that year. The selections include gospel, blues, a chain gang song ("Po Lazarus") and a hobo anthem ("Big Rock Candy Mountain"), along with plenty of toe-tapping country music from The Soggy Bottom Boys (fronted by Union Station's Dan Tyminski), Alison Krauss, Gillian Welsh, Emmylou Harris, and more.

The film has an unusual look as well: it was digitally edited to give it the washed-out appearance of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. There is a very interesting documentary about this process on the DVD; it is the first film to use this technique in North America (although not in Europe). In fact, there are several interesting extras on the DVD, including a making-of, a music video for "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow," and a script-to-storyboard comparison. "O Brother" is filled with fun, unexpected turns and twists, and a great soundtrack. It may not be the greatest film you'll ever see, but it sure is entertaining!

the best clooney film ever
this is very very loosely based on homers odyssey.you ever hear of this?most people havent.4 dumber than a box of hammers criminals escape from a chaingang to go get a bunch of money one of them stole previously.it is a movie the whole family can enjoy filled with high adventure and many exciting scenes.it is set in 1939.there are a pack of sirens-i call them (...) this one but no fornicating.george clooney gives his best performance ever in this one.it was the best movie in a long time when it came out.an abselute classic.no matter what you hear,this is one of the best films in years.georges ol lady in the movie is a real psycho (...) but is FINE!

Watchable, but why?
The fact is, I've watched this movie three or four times, right through, without really knowing why. It's not exactly Joyce or Kazantzakis. It isn't that good, and Clooney's role and performance are irritating. He didn't play the part well. The songs aren't so very terrific, unless you're addicted to that kind of music. I used to sing "You are my Sunshine" during WWII when I was about 4. I'd heard about Bonnie Face Nelson, and he had a pretty good part. People from the South are often shown as very ugly and extremely fat in movies. The Sirens weren't beautiful, just ordinary. I don't think the Coens really like other people at all: they just watch them. Tommy was a nice fellow, with excellent manners. The cons were very mean to the little kid who rescued them from the burning barn. Early on there were only four days until the valley was to be flooded, then several weeks must have gone by before it actually was. Penelope was not exactly faithful, but she probably wasn't in the original either. That actress has a lot of character: the camera likes her. Probably I just keep on watching it because I'm puzzled and mystified without being bored. You just want to see what happens next, and it could meander on for ever, but stops because it has to. The flood washes nearly all of it away.

One of Their Very Best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I must say at the outset that I am a TOTAL Coen Brothers fan and have seen ALL of their projects. This ranks right up there as one of their crowning achievements.

This is a re-telling of the "Odyssey" by Homer and after viewing this, I finally got a handle on just what the "Odyssey" was about. In a nutshell, it follows the exploits of a man and the exotic characters he meets along his journey. The way the Coen Brothers personified such stalwart literary characters as the Cyclops (John Goodman) and the Furies is most creative.

Excellent performances all around from the likes of George Clooney (in one of his most endearing roles), the incomparable John Goodman, Holly Hunter, John Turturo, Charles Durning and a wonderfully strong supporting cast.

However, one cannot mention the merits of this movie without a mention of the soundtrack. It is most obvious that the Coen Brothers invested an enormous amount of research to make sure that the music adequately accompnaied the mood and tone. A wonderfully indelible example is the use of an acapella song (that utilizes no words, only moans) still used in African-American churches that is beautifully realized.

The music in this project is positively spellbinding, regardless of your particular musical preferences - there is something here for everybody. The soundtrack deserved the kudos it received.

This one you will enjoy over and over and over again!!!!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeexcellent! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

By now, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have amassed such a fund of goodwill with moviegoers that any new onscreen pairing brings nearly reflexive smiles.In You've Got Mail, the quintessential boy and girl next door repeat the tentative romantic crescendo that made Sleepless in Seattle, writer-director Nora Ephron's previous excursion with the duo, a massive hit. The prospective couple do actually meet face to face early on, but Mail otherwise repeats the earlier feature's gentle, extended tease of saving its romantic resolution until the final, gauzy shot.

The underlying narrative is an even more old-fashioned romantic pas de deux that is casually hooked to a newfangled device.The script, cowritten by the director and her sister, Delia Ephron, updates and relocates the Ernst Lubitsch classic, The Shop Around the Corner, to contemporary Manhattan, where Joe Fox (Hanks) is a cheerfully rapacious merchant whose chain of book superstores is gobbling up smaller, more specialized shops such as the children's bookstore owned by Kathleen Kelly (Ryan).Their lives run in close parallel in the same idealized neighborhood, yet they first meet anonymously, online, where they gradually nurture a warm, even intimate correspondence. As they begin to wonder whether this e-mail flirtation might lead them to be soul mates, however, they meet and clash over their colliding business fortunes.

It's no small testament to the two stars that we wind up liking and caring about them despite the inevitable (and highly manipulative) arc of the plot. Although their chemistry transcended the consciously improbable romantic premise of Sleepless, enabling director Ephron to attain a kind of amorous soufflé, this time around there's a slow leak that considerably deflates the affair. Less credulous viewers will challenge Joe's logic in prolonging the concealment of his online identity from Kathleen, and may shake their heads at Ephron's reinvention of Manhattan as a spotless, sun-dappled wonderland where everybody lives in million-dollar apartments and color coordinates their wardrobes for cocktail parties. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (480)

Caviar Garnish
This is the second remake of "The Shop Around the Corner". The first was Technicolor musical called "In the Good Old Summertime" which starred Judy Garland. References to Miss Garland's most famous film "The Wizard of Oz" abound in "You've Got Mail" (Meg Ryan hanging ruby slippers on a Christmas tree and reading the book "The Scarecrow of Oz" while ill, the song "Over the Rainbow" being sampled throughout and sung in its entirety at the end, etc.) In addition to reminding me of the two previous versions, I was also reminded of "Pillow Talk". In "Pillow Talk", Doris Day and Rock Hudson, who hate each other, fall in love over a party line without either realizing who the other is. Here, it's Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks falling in love over the Internet. The plot is lightweight and predictable, but the performances more than make up for that. Dabney Coleman, Jean Stapleton, Greg Kinnear, and indie-queen Parker Posey are all brilliant, and although neither of the leading rolls are much of a stretch for Hanks or Ryan, they are at least likeable and have more than enough star power to make this picture work. The script is light and funny, and this film is sure to please if you don't ask it to be more than it is.

The best romantic flick I've ever experienced.
There are a couple of things this film has going for it. First is the chemistry between the on-screen characters. There's a reason Hanks and Ryan were casted for this flick- it's because audiences (including myself) like to see the sparks between these two people. They were a great team in Sleepless in Seattle, and it's pretty obvious the 'magic' is still there.

The soundtrack to this movie is absolutely incredible. Harry Nilsson is perfect (the puppy song, over the rainbow), and the rest of the songs fit so well with the mood of the movie at all times. Sinead O'Conner's addition (I think it's called the lord must live in NY city) adds to the mood I talk about later, and Carol King's Anyone At All is one of the best romantic songs I've ever heard/played.

The mood to the movie is always incredibly upbeat- which is strange- most movies have their lulls or depressing moments. This movie, however, never gets itself in that rut. It's always very very cheery and bright. Although some may hate that, I can do nothing but appreciate the change of style. Everytime I watch You've Got Mail, I just think, "I WANT TO GO TO NEW YORK!!!"

Overall, the movie just makes you feel good. It's one of my favorite movies, and is certainly my most favorite romantic film. Even techies won't get annoyed, because thank goodness the focus isn't aol or anything of that matter.

Bouquets of sharpened pencils, indeed
Here's the main and completely irrelevant reason to love this movie: New York City in the fall. Honestly, it should have no bearing whatsoever on the plot, but it does -- and it's impossible not to fall in love with the bright, sunshiny, orange-leaved sheer beauty of the city encapsulated in this movie. Without even resorting to shots of Central Park in all its glory (and really, who can resist that?), "You've Got Mail" takes you on a lovely scenic tour of the Upper West Side, Starbucks and all. Who can resist the street fairs, the parks, the stores, the dock? It's picture-perfect, and if it's a bit surreal, I won't admit it: New York really is rather lovely in the fall.

Aside from making me want to run away to the Big Apple and work in the children's section at Fox Books, "You've Got Mail" also features Meg Ryan at her most adorable ("Aren't daisies just the friendliest flower?"), Tom Hanks at his most charming, and a terrific supporting cast (Greg Kinnear and those typewriters!). The story, a modernized little "remake" of "The Shop Around The Corner", is more fairy tale than realism -- two people fall in love over email, in war in real life, and however can such a thing be solved -- but it's an enchanting story nonetheless. In a time when romance on the web seems all-too-seedy and in reality, sometimes frankly dangerous, this little tale of two people sharing their most intimate thoughts long before they share a single glance is like a breath of fresh air. Sure, the technology's a little faded, but the magic's still there.

I know, I know...
I know what you're thinking. Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear. You think you're too good for this movie, don't you? It's the sappiest, dumpiest little half-a-flick ever reared by Nora Ephron. Romantic comedies suck. Do I paint a correct picture, or do I exagerate? Well I think you're just cinematically jaded.

Yeah, that's right! I said it!

A lifetime of Vietnam movies and tragic love stories has left you too cynical to enjoy a simple romance between two adults. Teenagers getting into car crashes, mothers being diagnosed with breast cancer, murderers who you like despite the fact that they're pure evil. These are the cinematic icons that appeal to you, yes? Well what about hard-edged bookstore manager and idealistic bookshop owner? What about oddly-principled boyfriend who owns two identical typewriters? What about...uh...Jean Stapleton? She was funny, right?

Look, the point is it doesn't suck and don't judge it just because it's a Hanks/Ryan romantic comedy on par with "Sleepless In Seattle" (Which was a good one too, by the way).

Although, I still prefer the original "Shop Around the Corner" with Jimmy "Not Bow-Legged" Stewart.

Clever!
This is an excellent updated version of "The Little Shop Around The Corner" with anonymous penpals using email instead of the letters used in the original with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks,as always,make a great team. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

How things have changed...
I think Do the Right Thing is Spike Lee's best movie, and the early 1990s was a time where Spike was making his movies with a message. Do the Right Thing is a movie that stands the test of time in my opinion, because so much of it rings so true, it's incredibly funny, and heartbreaking at the same time. Lee received a lot of flak for that movie while making it. When it came out, it shut everybody up.
About one year after that, Jungle Fever was released. It was definitely a big deal at the time - a movie about a black man and an Italian woman in a relationship in NYC, a city at the time still basically reeling from the well-known racist killings of two black men at the hands of Italians in their neighborhoods. So this whole interracial thing and the ramifications of it seemed groundbreaking at the time.

I watched this movie the other day and marveled in terms of the interracial aspect of it how much of it is just not the case anymore in 2003 America. It was a big deal for a black man to be seen with a white woman. Now, it's totally taboo, and desired, and nobody really cares. I mean, I actually found myself giggling during the movie and saying to myself, "Come on, now. It's not even like that!"

Okay. A quick review of the movie: Wesley Snipes stars as Flipper, who starts an affair (for no damn good reason) with a white temp worker, Angie, played by Annabella Sciorra, and then has to deal with the repercussions of it. In the midst of this are storylines with Flipper's brother and his drug use, his strict bible-thumping father, and other storylines with Angie's folks, part-time boyfriend, etc. Spike Lee's ensemble cast is featured, and they do not disappoint. Samuel L. Jackson is absolutely fantastic as the crack addcited brother. His performance is both hilarious and pitiful, Ossie Davis is wonderful in his role (hated the actions of his character at the end, though, did he go to the slammer? He should've), John Turturro is excellent (when is he not? Absolutely phenomenal in Do the Right Thing, btw), and the list goes on and on. Fortunately, these actors all balance out Wesley Snipes who is basically ineffective in his performance. In my opinion, he just can't act. You feel so sympathy for him as he has to deal with his wife and all her anger about the affair, you don't care about him and his issues with his job, and everything else he goes through. And I think we're SUPPOSED to care and sympathize with this guy, I just think Snipes was just unable to pull off the role. BTW, Annabella Sciorra is excellent.

On another note: much has been made of Halle Berry's performance in this movie, how groundbreaking it was, etc. Not! She is totally overrated in this movie. All she does is act crazy, fire off expletives and the like to the point of annoyance. She has proven herself to be a good actress in movies following this, but in this one, give me a break. It's Samuel L. Jackson who makes that storyline, let me tell you.

The bottom line is if you watch this movie around Wesley Snipes, you can actually enjoy it. It gets a little long-winded at points, but the performances are pretty good. Some other performance notes, the little girl who plays Snipes and McKee's daughter Ming (someone explain the chinese name for this black child to me, please?), annoying! I know she was young, but she was totally not cute, though she tries very hard to be. Totally irrelevant to my review of the movie, I just wanted to say that I found her incredibly annoying and not cute.

BEST SPIKE MOVIE EVER!!
I'm a Spike Lee fan and i have to admit that this is his best work ever! I'm a teenager and ever since this movie came out I had always wanted to see it. I finally saw it 2 hours ago and I thought it was excellent. I'm a big fan of Sam Jackson and I think in a way he stole the show. Everybody played their part accordingly specially Anthony Quinn and Lonette McKeen. This actors did a great job and I do think this is an "underrated masterpiece." This movie has been overlooked by some people and I think it deserves way more reviews than it has received. The issue of white/black dating was discussed throughout this movie and I loved the scene where the "girls" were talking in the living room about why they thought black men dated white women. Go rent this movie now if you haven't seen it and if you don't liek it then you're crazy!

One of Spike's Most ambitious films
But he apparently was still having some trouble with balance. The story is , well, you know. And it's a great thing that Spike had the guts to do something like this. And while there was some balance, the scale was a shade racist. Just a shade. Still, one of his absolute best and a must, although he really did have trouble with ending this one.

Spike Showed Truth With This Film
First of all, I am a black female who could care less if someone dates out their race. And I don't know if Spike is a racist or not (because he has dated white women and his father is married to a white woman). But one thing is clear; SOME black people do get offended when they see a black man with a white woman. I have personally seen black women confront black men for dating white women and I have seen black men act crazy when they see a black woman with a white man. In my opinion, Spike showed reality in this film, whether you agree with it or not. However, I don't like this film because it was so unfocused to me. There were too many things going on and in the end, it all seemed useless. I guess Spike wanted to get people talking about race and if that was his goal, then he achieved it. Personally, what I find most offensive and racist is the person who is playing the lead character. He (Snipes) made nasty comments about black women to a black magazine, which explains why his popularity has gone down.

Spike Lee ought to be banned from filmmaking
This is one of the absolute worst movies I have ever seen. Spike Lee is not a brilliant filmmaker. He clearly has racist views that he feels the need to display on film. Jungle Fever is the story of a black man who has an affair with an Italian woman. When their affair is found out, everyone is up in arms. The woman is accused of stealing the Black Man. Black women sit around dissing her when Flipper's (Snipes) wife needs to be questioning her husband. Last I checked, the ring was on Flipper's finger. The very idea that these women can sit around dogging white people and it be deemed ok is deplorable to me. As a young black female, I was disgusted at this image. Queen Latifah's portrayal of that waitress was even worse.

This movie is disgusting and it is a very good example of irresponsible filmmaking. This does not promote racial unity or racial tolerance.

Avoid it at all cost. ... Read more

Reviews (160)

The Coen brothers tackle Film Noir and get it right
is a delight to find the Coens in top form and an equal delight to view their take on Film Noir. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a seemingly bland and simple barber named Ed Crane whose life is about to be turned upside down after he discovers his wife is having an affair with her boss.
The film starts off slowly, allowing plenty of time for the mood to develop and seep into the viewer's consciousness. The movie is filmed in black and white, a good choice for a story centered in small town life - and, of course, black and white film helps drive home the film noir mood. This is noir with a capital N, heavy on mood, insinuation and tone. You can almost feel the length of the slow-paced days, the heaviness of the hours as they creep by. Every shadow, every moment is tinged with foreboding.
Some viewers who are used to the fast pace of most films today might be put off by the slow, langourous pace of this one - but they'll be missing a rare, lovely treat of a film. They might also find Billy Bob Thornton's monotone voice and unemotional exterior a bit off-putting but I didn't. He is, after all, playing a man who fades into the woodwork, a man who people forget as soon as he walks out the door.
He is also a man who wants a different life than the one he's been living and sets out to make his dreams come true. Unfortunately, his efforts set off a complicated set of tragedies. Far from making the film dark and depressing (in spite of the black and white) these events reveal the precariousness of everyday life and the mysteries of the heart.

Coen Brothers Do It Again
You never know what to expect from the Coen brothers. I guess that's what we like about them. I sure never expected a black and white film about a barber in 1949 California to be anything special...but it is.

Billy Bob Thornton, in one of his finest performances, plays Ed Crane, a quiet, almost ghost-like barber who is married to a woman (Frances McDormand) who barely communicates with him. The problem is, she communicates a little too well with another man who is not her husband. What appears to be a very simple story takes off in several different directions through the course of the film and all of them are interesting and intriguing. 'The Man Who Wasn't There' is a great example of "They don't make 'em like that anymore" filmmaking. The film noir feel is absolutely on target with wonderful cinematography, great period sets and costumes, and superb acting. Thornton's Ed Crane is one of those movie characters that I believe will find himself in the "unforgettable" category along with Nicholson's McMurphy (from 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest') and Hopkins's Hannibal Lecter.

When the film is over, the viewer is left to think about a lot of things. Some of the questions the viewer may have are answered in the commentary with the Coen Brothers and Billy Bob Thornton, but most of them are left to the viewer to decipher. All of the scenes work for me, except for one which happens during a car ride.

It's too bad this film wasn't seriously considered for Oscar contention. It wouldn't have been a "safe bet" like 'A Beautiful Mind' turned out to be, but it would have caused audiences to think while they're entertained. The Coen Brothers certainly know how to do that.

The Man Who Wasn't There Went Nowhere
The Coen brothers go artsy black and white and it works for the most part - the cinematography is wonderful. Great camera angles, intense shadows and wonderful shades of white/gray/black make "The Man Who Wasn't There" really something to look at. However, actors Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini, all have done better work before in other films. You'll find a little bit of intrigue and mystery... but the pace is incredibly slow, and outside of Gandolfini's character being stabbed in the neck, not much happens. The film is all dialogue (and it's none of that trademark witty Coen dialogue we've come to love and expect). The story line is weak and for the most part dull. Thornton's dead-pan monotone delivery of his lines and narration almost drove me insane. No lie, when the movie ended, I said to my wife... "Well, that movie sucked!" I've come to expect so much more from the Coen brothers - they are truly gifted in their medium. With classics to their credit like "Raising Arizona", "Fargo", "O Brother Where Art Thou?", "Miller's Crossing", etc... I can't help but put "The Man That Wasn't There" towards the bottom of their list. Sorry - that's my honest review.

Less is more
The Man Who Wasn't There is the Coen brothers slow-moving film-noirish movie about a chain-smoking barber named Ed Crane (Billy Bob) who has an opportunity to get into the dry-cleaning business, and blackmail his wife's (Francis McDormand) lover (James Gandolfini) for the $10,000 needed to get into the deal with a dry-cleaner (Jon Polito). As with most Coen brothers movies, the simple plot gets involved in subleties that may help or hinder it.

Billy Bob plays Ed with a sedate, reserved manner. Scarlet Johansson has a supporting role as a piano-playing young girl who Ed wants to help get lessons. She turns out to be only a mediocre player, and has no interest in a musical careeer. She does show her gratitude toward Ed in an oral, yet non-verbal way, however.

There are no English subtitles which could have come in handy during the giggly commentary by the Coen's and Billy Bob. The "making of" documentary was a bit below average. The conversation with cinematographer Roger Deakins could have benefitted from his voice-over on top of clips as examples, rather than having to try to remember scenes he is talking about. A few deleted scenes, photo gallery, filmographies and a trailer round out the reasonably-priced DVD.

Rated "R" for some neck-stabbing violence.

Not for everyone, but fans of the Coen brothers, Billy Bob, or Scarlett Johansson should like it. Perhaps generous with 4 stars, I'm giving the movie and extras the benefit of the doubt.

The Coen Brothers Do It Again
"The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film release from 2001, starring Billy Bob Thorton, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, and James Gandolfini. The Joel and Ethan Coen, the Oscar winning writers of "Fargo", prove that their creative minds express great and original entertainment. This gloomy themed movie keeps audiences interested in every scene, besides the black and white scenery. The plot of a barber who begins illegal dry cleaning, then becomes blackmailed, is brilliant. Its combination of mystery, drama, and suspense blends perfectly. The special effects, namely the UFO, add more interesting entertainment value. As the series of events unfold, the timely theme builds, leading to a surprising conclusion. Such movie quality offers a great unforgettable film experience. Billy Bob Thorton beautifully acts his role of Ed Gayne, the barber. Gayne's hard times are expressed greatly, which proves more difficult to accomplish because he doesn't speak often. His narration throughout the film offers another sense of mystery and gloomy effect. Frances McDormand's role as Gayne's wife is performed at her top throughout the film, expressing every emotion accurately. Scarlett Johansson proves that she is one of the few child stars with actual acting talent (she was 16). All other actors also perform their roles greatly. "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film that will keep audiences entertained for a long time. There is no other film like it. ... Read more

Reviews (339)

One of the greatest films ever.
I think this film is a masterpiece. Luc Besson has beautifully directed this achievement and it is probably his best film (Fifth Element aside). The best thing about this film is the different emotions you feel. You feel hatred, happiness, worry, and sadness all for one character. Leon is a professional (hence the title) cleaner, or hitman. He is a very alone person who has no friends. He does have a soft spot for the 12 year old girl Mathilda(wonderfully portrayed by Natalie Portman). When Mathilda's family is killed, she stays with Leon, but she wants revenge. Leon begins teaching her the tricks of the trade which provides some very funny moments. They begin to get very close, and he feels love for the girl. I will not ruin the whoile story for you but it really is a must see.Jean Reno was born for this part and Gary Oldman plays the eccentric bad guy very well. This movie does have some explosive action scenes, but it is really more of a drama. Yes there is a directors cut which in my opinion isn't much better than the regular and the regular is 10 bucks cheaper. Buy this film either way and you will be wonderfully happy with your purchase.

Best Film Ever Made. Natalie Portman is Perfect.
This movie has, what I beleive, the best performance from a child actor ever, from a 12-year-old Natalie Portman. Her character Mathilda shows the innocence of a kid, and the depth of a person out for revenge. Why she didn't get an Oscar is beyond me. And this was her first movie.

The story is really good. A hitman named Leon (Jean Reno) helps a girl named Mathilda after her family is shot down by corrupt DEA officers led by Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman). When she finds out about Leon's job as a "cleaner" she asks to be trained as a hitman to avenge her little brother's death. Despite Leon's concerns he teaches her anyway, but over the course of his teachings, Mathilda develops feelings for him. This is something the uncut version explores a little deeper.

I suppose some of the scenes were taken from the American release for their subject matter. A scene where Mathilda wants to take her love for Leon to the next level really gives a good insight into Leon's past. It dosen't lead to anything between the two, so I don't see why they cut it. Other scenes included are Leon giving Mathilda some on the job training when he goes on his hits. I can see where some groups in America could have protested that, but it makes their relationship more deeper and complex.

An outstanding film, you really should see this version to get the whole story. I highly recommend it, it is my favorite of all time. Luc Besson's masterpiece can be fully appreciated on this release. I've been hearing rumors about a sequel in the works. I can only pray it's true, but this film is a tough act to follow.

Natalie Portman in her best role!
I don't usually like to watch movies about hit men or cops and robbers. I remember I got interested in this movie because of two things: Luc Besson's movie the Fifth Element, which was so wildly different and fascinating that I wanted to see what else this French director had done; and secondly, seeing Natalie Portman for the first time in the Star Wars: Phantom Menace movie.

Behind all of the dense make up and bad script and horribly non-existent directing from George Lucas in Phantom Menace, I sensed in Natalie Portman one heck of a terrific young actress struggling to come up with a meaningful performance. In "Leon - The Professional", working with a superb director, her acting talent is on full display.

When one thinks of modern day child actors, Anna Paquin comes to mind, in "The Piano", because she aced out some terrific adult actresses in 1993 to win the Oscar. Well, Natalie Portman, at age 12, had Anna Paquin beat by a mile in this movie, since her character takes up about half of the movie. If not for the truly unusual and off-beat story line of this movie, Portman would have gotten a lot more attention for her role in this movie, I think.

If you just focus on Portman's facial expressions and the way she carries herself in this movie, she goes through an amazing acting range in this movie, from hurt, terrified, bored, stuck up, cool and calculating, manipulative, sweet, child-like, and pubescent sexual allure.

As mentioned by other reviewers, the uncut version restores scenes that basically give a harder edge to Natalie Portman's character. The additional scenes of her assassin training with Leon and her efforts to attract and get closer to Leon definitely put her character in a harsher light. I remember from my first viewing of the cut U.S. version that Mathilda came across as a much more sweet and innocent child. The uncut version shows her more to be a hardened child of the mean streets of New York. Given the usual Hollywood propensities, it's not that surprising that these scenes got cut for the U.S. release. The uncut version does show the fullest acting range of Natalie Portman, even if they make her character less sympathetic.

Basically, the movie skates close to, but avoids the pedophilia controversies of the "Lolita" movies by having the character of Leon adhere to a strict code of ethics that firmly blocks all of Mathilda's advances. Even at the end, when he kisses her good-by and says that he loves her, it is clearly in the vein of being her protector and a big brother/father surrogate figure.

All in all, this was a great movie. Jean Reno was just so hauntingly sad as the loner-assassin Leon. Gary Oldman was definitely over the top in his portrayal of the crazed DEA agent - you almost expected his Dracula fangs to come out and his eyes to glow red when he popped those pills into his mouth.

So all of you Natalie Portman fans, this movie is a definite must-see. All of you Phantom Menace/Attack of the Clones haters who think that Natalie Portman can't act, you've got to see this movie to understand that no, Natalie Portman is a terrific actress. It's just really, really tough to play opposite total stiffs like Hayden Christiansen and Jake Lloyd, working with an idiot director like George Lucas.

Got Milk?
There's hardly anything I can say that will do justice to the splendor of 'Leon - The Professional'. The insanity of both the action sequences and Gary Oldman's performance... the touching love story of 2 lonely outcasts... the fantastic cinematography... the heart-breaking tragedy... the pulsing score... the violent life of a shy, milk-drinking, plant-loving hitman... the soul of an innocent little girl... the blistering, chaotic, blood-drenched fury that lives in all 3 of these characters...

...Wow...

...It's just a vortex of beautiful destruction. All these things crammed into one amazing film. A remarkable cast giving remarkable performances, and a very visual director shoving this seething powerhouse of a film right in our faces...

Like I said, there's nothing I can say. So, just believe me when I tell you that this is a very great film.

Great cinematic masterpiece
REALLY GREAT! IT WAS DONE LIKE A FOREIGN FILM, BUT I REALLY LOVED THE WAY IT WAS DONE. AND THE ACTING WAS GREAT! ... Read more

Reviews (339)

An incredible action movie - a must for your collection
This is an action packed, fast, furious action movie that will leave you wanting more. This is the first American movie by Luc Besson that stars Jean Reno, Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman and they all give award winning performances. The story is about a French hit man, brilliantly paid by Jean Reno (Ronin, Mission Impossible, French Kiss) who moves without a sound, kills without emotion and disappears without a glimmer who ends up taking care of a little girl played by Natalie Portman. Natalie's character Matilda's family is killed by a corrupt DEA cop played incredibly by Gary Oldman. Gary plays the role so well; it makes you wonder about him. All kidding aside, Gary Oldman is an incredible actor and this movie proves it.

The story of the movie revolves around Matilda wanting to get revenge on the killer of her younger brother, the corrupt DEA agent (Gary Oldman) and the interesting relationship forming between Leon (Jean Reno) and Matilda (Natalie Portman). This is not your atypical action movie ' Luc Besson does a great job where you will be laughing one minute and cheering on the anti-hero Leon as he's blowing away some drug dealers. Overall a great movie and a must for any action movie aficionado.

I have the American version of the DVD and not the original uncut international version.

Spectacular!
It has been a while since I last saw the original theatrical cut of this film, but I have just watched the International Version twice now and I must say it is much better. The US release is much more abbreviated and leaves out a lot of great scenes with great chemistry between the two main characters (Leon and Matilda). There is some added sexual tensions in the International Version that American viewers never got the opportunity to see in the theatres, but it is nothing vulgar or disgusting. I actually found it cute in a trite sort of way.

Another viewer posted a comment suggesting that the added footage made Leon look like a pedophile. I disagree. The Professional, or actually Leon as it was called outside the US, is less about killing than it is about a love story between two very different individuals who share several unique qualities expressed in very different ways. Both are suvivors, both are strong and independent, and both have been wronged by someone else. The majority of this version is dialogue driven and that makes it feel like there is less "in your face" action than the American version. The romance is convincing and pure. The relationship between these two characters reminded me a lot of Iris Steensma and Travis Bickle from "Taxi Driver" albeit with a much more sane performance by Jean Reno.

In one word: Spectacular! Not a classic by any means, but just enough originality and great acting to be a worthy collection on anyone's movie shelf. The only flaw to the DVD is that it lacks any commentary tracks or other special features that would have made it more of a collectible item. Otherwise, worth every cent!

Best Film Ever Made. Natalie Portman is Perfect.
This movie has, what I beleive, the best performance from a child actor ever, from a 12-year-old Natalie Portman. Her character Mathilda shows the innocence of a kid, and the depth of a person out for revenge. Why she didn't get an Oscar is beyond me. And this was her first movie.

The story is really good. A hitman named Leon (Jean Reno) helps a girl named Mathilda after her family is shot down by corrupt DEA officers led by Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman). When she finds out about Leon's job as a "cleaner" she asks to be trained as a hitman to avenge her little brother's death. Despite Leon's concerns he teaches her anyway, but over the course of his teachings, Mathilda develops feelings for him. This is something the uncut version explores a little deeper.

I suppose some of the scenes were taken from the American release for their subject matter. A scene where Mathilda wants to take her love for Leon to the next level really gives a good insight into Leon's past. It dosen't lead to anything between the two, so I don't see why they cut it. Other scenes included are Leon giving Mathilda some on the job training when he goes on his hits. I can see where some groups in America could have protested that, but it makes their relationship more deeper and complex.

An outstanding film, you really should see this version to get the whole story. I highly recommend it, it is my favorite of all time. Luc Besson's masterpiece can be fully appreciated on this release. I've been hearing rumors about a sequel in the works. I can only pray it's true, but this film is a tough act to follow.

What Difference Can 24 Minutes Make?
Personally, I thought the US theatrical release of THE PROFESSIONAL was stellar entertainment ... but then I happened across LEON THE PROFESSIONAL, the original uncut international version ... and I was blown away, much like Leon's victims.

Luc Besson's original version is much deeper in characterization and motivation of his anti-hero, Leon (played superbly by Jean Reno). While the added footage gives the audience a bit more information about Leon's past, it also builds tremendously on the relationship between Leon and Matilda (played by the buddingly beautiful Natalie Portman), his inadvertantly adopted 'partner.'

While there are a few scenes that arguably add little to the depth of the story, they are momentary and distract little from the narrative.

If you can get your hands on this version, it's well worth the viewing.

A brilliantly atypical action movie
The opening shots of this movie are a bird's eye view flying over New York city and flying into a quaint, locally owned restaurant in the heart of Little Italy. Therein two men are talking business, and it is not of the establishment in which they are conversing. A man's life is being discussed, and in the most chilling ways possible. The mysterious gentlemen accepting the hit is Leon (Sean Reno), and as he hides behind a pair of reflective sunglasses and a foreign accent, he becomes demonized as the viewer realizes he is a cold-blooded killer, a "professional" if you will.

And yet he stops by the store on the way to his slightly dilapidated apartment building for two quarts of milk, and then proceeds to iron his clothes, water his plant, and shower while wearing a face of torn emotion. The demon killer shows a human side, and the viewer is left puzzled. Even more so is the viewer when this very hitman saves the life of a young girl named Mathilda (young Natalie Portman) from corrupt DEA officers, headed by Gary Oldman, after they massacre her family.

The majority of the film is concerned with the development of the relationship between Leon and Mathilda, and Luc Besson could not have done a finer job. The circumstances are awkward at first for both Mathilda and Leon, and yet as time progresses a unique bond begins to form itself between the two. Sean Reno as Leon is brilliant. His accent (said to be Italian, but it sounds awfully French to me), rugged visage, and cold-yet-expressive eyes convey a man with many secrets. And for all his calm demeanor, he obviously struggles with himself. Natalie Portman shows herself in her debut as not just another child actor, but someone who, in her own right, displays a natural acting competancy that few adult actors can achieve. As young Mathilda she walks a razor's edge between projecting herself as a scared little girl that has seen and felt too much pain, and a mature young woman with emotions and understanding belying her age.

While violence has become something of a widespread staple in the modern action movie, rarely have there been such powerfully cinematic displays of the consequences. Luc Besson does not insinuate that he who has the gun is God, but rather that whoever does hold's a god's responsibility. Almost every significant character in this film that sees violence as an answer see that it only brings pain and more questions. As fire attracts a moth, so do the worlds of these men bring suffering even as they seek to overcome it. Additionally, the growing relationship between Leon and Mathilda set off warnings to the prudish viewer of impending sexual relations.

One minute this movie incites light-hearted laughter. The next it could be demanding your ire, only to bring tears afterwards. The adrenaline joy-ride this movie provides is only topped its roller-coaster of emotions. The cinematography, while not ground-breaking, is effective in conveying the mood in key scenes. A brilliant and disturbing portrayal of DEA officer Stansfield by Gary Oldman create a true villian worthy of cinematic infamy for years to come. Indeed, this movie is much more than the sum of its components, and while the squeamish and easily offended may find themselves tempted to turn this film off early on, those that sit through their discomfort will find not-so-typical tale of two outcasts suffering with little for solace but each other. ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more

Reviews (339)

One of the greatest films ever.
I think this film is a masterpiece. Luc Besson has beautifully directed this achievement and it is probably his best film (Fifth Element aside). The best thing about this film is the different emotions you feel. You feel hatred, happiness, worry, and sadness all for one character. Leon is a professional (hence the title) cleaner, or hitman. He is a very alone person who has no friends. He does have a soft spot for the 12 year old girl Mathilda(wonderfully portrayed by Natalie Portman). When Mathilda's family is killed, she stays with Leon, but she wants revenge. Leon begins teaching her the tricks of the trade which provides some very funny moments. They begin to get very close, and he feels love for the girl. I will not ruin the whoile story for you but it really is a must see.Jean Reno was born for this part and Gary Oldman plays the eccentric bad guy very well. This movie does have some explosive action scenes, but it is really more of a drama. Yes there is a directors cut which in my opinion isn't much better than the regular and the regular is 10 bucks cheaper. Buy this film either way and you will be wonderfully happy with your purchase.

Best Film Ever Made. Natalie Portman is Perfect.
This movie has, what I beleive, the best performance from a child actor ever, from a 12-year-old Natalie Portman. Her character Mathilda shows the innocence of a kid, and the depth of a person out for revenge. Why she didn't get an Oscar is beyond me. And this was her first movie.

The story is really good. A hitman named Leon (Jean Reno) helps a girl named Mathilda after her family is shot down by corrupt DEA officers led by Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman). When she finds out about Leon's job as a "cleaner" she asks to be trained as a hitman to avenge her little brother's death. Despite Leon's concerns he teaches her anyway, but over the course of his teachings, Mathilda develops feelings for him. This is something the uncut version explores a little deeper.

I suppose some of the scenes were taken from the American release for their subject matter. A scene where Mathilda wants to take her love for Leon to the next level really gives a good insight into Leon's past. It dosen't lead to anything between the two, so I don't see why they cut it. Other scenes included are Leon giving Mathilda some on the job training when he goes on his hits. I can see where some groups in America could have protested that, but it makes their relationship more deeper and complex.

An outstanding film, you really should see this version to get the whole story. I highly recommend it, it is my favorite of all time. Luc Besson's masterpiece can be fully appreciated on this release. I've been hearing rumors about a sequel in the works. I can only pray it's true, but this film is a tough act to follow.

Natalie Portman in her best role!
I don't usually like to watch movies about hit men or cops and robbers. I remember I got interested in this movie because of two things: Luc Besson's movie the Fifth Element, which was so wildly different and fascinating that I wanted to see what else this French director had done; and secondly, seeing Natalie Portman for the first time in the Star Wars: Phantom Menace movie.

Behind all of the dense make up and bad script and horribly non-existent directing from George Lucas in Phantom Menace, I sensed in Natalie Portman one heck of a terrific young actress struggling to come up with a meaningful performance. In "Leon - The Professional", working with a superb director, her acting talent is on full display.

When one thinks of modern day child actors, Anna Paquin comes to mind, in "The Piano", because she aced out some terrific adult actresses in 1993 to win the Oscar. Well, Natalie Portman, at age 12, had Anna Paquin beat by a mile in this movie, since her character takes up about half of the movie. If not for the truly unusual and off-beat story line of this movie, Portman would have gotten a lot more attention for her role in this movie, I think.

If you just focus on Portman's facial expressions and the way she carries herself in this movie, she goes through an amazing acting range in this movie, from hurt, terrified, bored, stuck up, cool and calculating, manipulative, sweet, child-like, and pubescent sexual allure.

As mentioned by other reviewers, the uncut version restores scenes that basically give a harder edge to Natalie Portman's character. The additional scenes of her assassin training with Leon and her efforts to attract and get closer to Leon definitely put her character in a harsher light. I remember from my first viewing of the cut U.S. version that Mathilda came across as a much more sweet and innocent child. The uncut version shows her more to be a hardened child of the mean streets of New York. Given the usual Hollywood propensities, it's not that surprising that these scenes got cut for the U.S. release. The uncut version does show the fullest acting range of Natalie Portman, even if they make her character less sympathetic.

Basically, the movie skates close to, but avoids the pedophilia controversies of the "Lolita" movies by having the character of Leon adhere to a strict code of ethics that firmly blocks all of Mathilda's advances. Even at the end, when he kisses her good-by and says that he loves her, it is clearly in the vein of being her protector and a big brother/father surrogate figure.

All in all, this was a great movie. Jean Reno was just so hauntingly sad as the loner-assassin Leon. Gary Oldman was definitely over the top in his portrayal of the crazed DEA agent - you almost expected his Dracula fangs to come out and his eyes to glow red when he popped those pills into his mouth.

So all of you Natalie Portman fans, this movie is a definite must-see. All of you Phantom Menace/Attack of the Clones haters who think that Natalie Portman can't act, you've got to see this movie to understand that no, Natalie Portman is a terrific actress. It's just really, really tough to play opposite total stiffs like Hayden Christiansen and Jake Lloyd, working with an idiot director like George Lucas.

Got Milk?
There's hardly anything I can say that will do justice to the splendor of 'Leon - The Professional'. The insanity of both the action sequences and Gary Oldman's performance... the touching love story of 2 lonely outcasts... the fantastic cinematography... the heart-breaking tragedy... the pulsing score... the violent life of a shy, milk-drinking, plant-loving hitman... the soul of an innocent little girl... the blistering, chaotic, blood-drenched fury that lives in all 3 of these characters...

...Wow...

...It's just a vortex of beautiful destruction. All these things crammed into one amazing film. A remarkable cast giving remarkable performances, and a very visual director shoving this seething powerhouse of a film right in our faces...

Like I said, there's nothing I can say. So, just believe me when I tell you that this is a very great film.

Great cinematic masterpiece
REALLY GREAT! IT WAS DONE LIKE A FOREIGN FILM, BUT I REALLY LOVED THE WAY IT WAS DONE. AND THE ACTING WAS GREAT! ... Read more

Reviews (160)

The Coen brothers tackle Film Noir and get it right
is a delight to find the Coens in top form and an equal delight to view their take on Film Noir. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a seemingly bland and simple barber named Ed Crane whose life is about to be turned upside down after he discovers his wife is having an affair with her boss.
The film starts off slowly, allowing plenty of time for the mood to develop and seep into the viewer's consciousness. The movie is filmed in black and white, a good choice for a story centered in small town life - and, of course, black and white film helps drive home the film noir mood. This is noir with a capital N, heavy on mood, insinuation and tone. You can almost feel the length of the slow-paced days, the heaviness of the hours as they creep by. Every shadow, every moment is tinged with foreboding.
Some viewers who are used to the fast pace of most films today might be put off by the slow, langourous pace of this one - but they'll be missing a rare, lovely treat of a film. They might also find Billy Bob Thornton's monotone voice and unemotional exterior a bit off-putting but I didn't. He is, after all, playing a man who fades into the woodwork, a man who people forget as soon as he walks out the door.
He is also a man who wants a different life than the one he's been living and sets out to make his dreams come true. Unfortunately, his efforts set off a complicated set of tragedies. Far from making the film dark and depressing (in spite of the black and white) these events reveal the precariousness of everyday life and the mysteries of the heart.

Coen Brothers Do It Again
You never know what to expect from the Coen brothers. I guess that's what we like about them. I sure never expected a black and white film about a barber in 1949 California to be anything special...but it is.

Billy Bob Thornton, in one of his finest performances, plays Ed Crane, a quiet, almost ghost-like barber who is married to a woman (Frances McDormand) who barely communicates with him. The problem is, she communicates a little too well with another man who is not her husband. What appears to be a very simple story takes off in several different directions through the course of the film and all of them are interesting and intriguing. 'The Man Who Wasn't There' is a great example of "They don't make 'em like that anymore" filmmaking. The film noir feel is absolutely on target with wonderful cinematography, great period sets and costumes, and superb acting. Thornton's Ed Crane is one of those movie characters that I believe will find himself in the "unforgettable" category along with Nicholson's McMurphy (from 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest') and Hopkins's Hannibal Lecter.

When the film is over, the viewer is left to think about a lot of things. Some of the questions the viewer may have are answered in the commentary with the Coen Brothers and Billy Bob Thornton, but most of them are left to the viewer to decipher. All of the scenes work for me, except for one which happens during a car ride.

It's too bad this film wasn't seriously considered for Oscar contention. It wouldn't have been a "safe bet" like 'A Beautiful Mind' turned out to be, but it would have caused audiences to think while they're entertained. The Coen Brothers certainly know how to do that.

The Man Who Wasn't There Went Nowhere
The Coen brothers go artsy black and white and it works for the most part - the cinematography is wonderful. Great camera angles, intense shadows and wonderful shades of white/gray/black make "The Man Who Wasn't There" really something to look at. However, actors Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini, all have done better work before in other films. You'll find a little bit of intrigue and mystery... but the pace is incredibly slow, and outside of Gandolfini's character being stabbed in the neck, not much happens. The film is all dialogue (and it's none of that trademark witty Coen dialogue we've come to love and expect). The story line is weak and for the most part dull. Thornton's dead-pan monotone delivery of his lines and narration almost drove me insane. No lie, when the movie ended, I said to my wife... "Well, that movie sucked!" I've come to expect so much more from the Coen brothers - they are truly gifted in their medium. With classics to their credit like "Raising Arizona", "Fargo", "O Brother Where Art Thou?", "Miller's Crossing", etc... I can't help but put "The Man That Wasn't There" towards the bottom of their list. Sorry - that's my honest review.

Less is more
The Man Who Wasn't There is the Coen brothers slow-moving film-noirish movie about a chain-smoking barber named Ed Crane (Billy Bob) who has an opportunity to get into the dry-cleaning business, and blackmail his wife's (Francis McDormand) lover (James Gandolfini) for the $10,000 needed to get into the deal with a dry-cleaner (Jon Polito). As with most Coen brothers movies, the simple plot gets involved in subleties that may help or hinder it.

Billy Bob plays Ed with a sedate, reserved manner. Scarlet Johansson has a supporting role as a piano-playing young girl who Ed wants to help get lessons. She turns out to be only a mediocre player, and has no interest in a musical careeer. She does show her gratitude toward Ed in an oral, yet non-verbal way, however.

There are no English subtitles which could have come in handy during the giggly commentary by the Coen's and Billy Bob. The "making of" documentary was a bit below average. The conversation with cinematographer Roger Deakins could have benefitted from his voice-over on top of clips as examples, rather than having to try to remember scenes he is talking about. A few deleted scenes, photo gallery, filmographies and a trailer round out the reasonably-priced DVD.

Rated "R" for some neck-stabbing violence.

Not for everyone, but fans of the Coen brothers, Billy Bob, or Scarlett Johansson should like it. Perhaps generous with 4 stars, I'm giving the movie and extras the benefit of the doubt.

The Coen Brothers Do It Again
"The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film release from 2001, starring Billy Bob Thorton, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, and James Gandolfini. The Joel and Ethan Coen, the Oscar winning writers of "Fargo", prove that their creative minds express great and original entertainment. This gloomy themed movie keeps audiences interested in every scene, besides the black and white scenery. The plot of a barber who begins illegal dry cleaning, then becomes blackmailed, is brilliant. Its combination of mystery, drama, and suspense blends perfectly. The special effects, namely the UFO, add more interesting entertainment value. As the series of events unfold, the timely theme builds, leading to a surprising conclusion. Such movie quality offers a great unforgettable film experience. Billy Bob Thorton beautifully acts his role of Ed Gayne, the barber. Gayne's hard times are expressed greatly, which proves more difficult to accomplish because he doesn't speak often. His narration throughout the film offers another sense of mystery and gloomy effect. Frances McDormand's role as Gayne's wife is performed at her top throughout the film, expressing every emotion accurately. Scarlett Johansson proves that she is one of the few child stars with actual acting talent (she was 16). All other actors also perform their roles greatly. "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film that will keep audiences entertained for a long time. There is no other film like it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

MADE IN AMERICA WITH PRIDE...
This film was made in loving memory of John Turturro's father and is directed by John Turturro himself. The film pays homage to the small businessman for whom thing must be done "the right way and his way", which are one and the same. Here the business man is a construction worker, Niccolo (Mac) Vitelli (John Turturro), who along with his two brothers, Vico (MIchael Badalucco) and Bruno (Carl Capotorto), gets disgusted with the shoddy workmanship that is the standard with the construction concern for whom he works. Mindful of the high standards set by his late father, Mac begins his own construction company on a shoestring budget and brings his brothers in with him, calling the company "Vitelli Brothers Construction." He and his brothers set about building quality housing on a small scale in suburbia.

The pressure of building and running a business takes its toll on Mac and his relationship with his brothers. The film is about a man with a dollar and a dream and how his dream seems not to be shared by those whom he loves most. Michael Badalucco is excellent as Vico, as is Carlo Capotorto as Bruno. Mac's wife, Alice, a young woman with a contemporary veneer, is well played by Katherine Borowitz, though she seems a tad out of place in Queens, New York of the nineteen fifties, where the film takes place. Ellen Barkin strikes a wrong note as the free spirited Oona, and Jon Amos as Nat, a fellow construction worker who throws in his lot with those of the Vitelli Brothers, is excellent, though one wonders at the racial harmony displayed by the construction industry of the nineteen fifties. This, too, strikes a false note.

A number of John Turturro's relatives crop up throughout the film. Aida Turturro of Soprano fame pops up as part of a husband and wife team who are among the first to buy one of Mac's houses. Nicholas Turturro of NYPD Blue fame appears in the role of Tony Gloves. John Turturro, himself, is excellent as Mac, but falters in the directorial department. The film, a loving look at an Italian American family in the construction trade, is a little too choppy to pass muster, though it gamely tries. It lack cohesiveness. This directorial effort is a game venture by John Turturro but one that, nonetheless, falters, given the number of wrong notes sounded throughout the film. Still, the film shows promise of things to come.

a son that didn't work construction
john turturro captures with his directorial excellence all the things he could not be to his father. This homage to the elder turturro captures the day to day grind of a "one man show" construction company and the problems that arise when working with family members. The lost art of craftmanship is worshipped here with a vengance. The skill of turning a pile of lumber into a home, one nail at a time, with love and conviction. Men who can "do" not just "talk".

The best Turturro has ever been
A fine film and tribute to John Turturro's father. A must see for anyone who ever worked construction,has a wackey Catholic family or just plain likes an entertaining movie. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Men of Respect
Men of Respect is an excellent movie. It has so many similarities and some differences to the play The Tragedy of Macbeth, written by Shakespeare. I would have to say the number one similarity of the two would be the characters' names. Such as Macbeth, in the movie Men of Respect, his characters' name is Michael Battaglia, and the similarity would be they have the same initials. Then there is Banquo who is Bankie Como, Macduff is Duffy, Lady Macbeth is Lady Battaglia, and so on. In the movie, as in the play, there are witches who give Macbeth and Michael prophesies. The only difference is that in the movie they are called fortunetellers. There are still three of them but instead of the three weird sisters it is a mom, pop, and son, and they are in a backroom fortuneteller's parlor, and they watch a television show on cooking a lambs head, where in the play the witches have a cauldron, which is a large kettle or boiling plot, and they actually cook a lambs head in it. Some more would be the murder of King Duncan, or as in the movie Padrion D' Amico, who is the Godfather of the mafia. Lady Macbeth and Lady Battaglia both persuade Macbeth and Michael into mudering him and are both power hungry. Lady Battaglia has visions of stains of blood, as did Lady Macbeth, but instead of saying "Out, out damn spot!" when Lady Macbeth sees the blood, Lady Battalia starts throwing linen from the tables of the restaurant off and onto the floor saying that they are dirty and have stains on them. The only real big difference is when Macduff's family is killed. He is there and the murdereres are with him, and he is on the pone while the mom and son are in the are and they start the car and it blows up. Then there is when Lady Battaglia kills herself, Michael actually cares, where Macbeth did not care too much. Other then that, there was a lot of similarities as of what they said and did throughout the movie. I recommend the movie to anyone who does not understand Macbeth because this movie truly helps and gives better definition and understanding to the play The Tragedy of Macbeth.

A brilliant reworking--don't listen to the "experts"
John Turturro pulls out all stops here in this gangster version of Macbeth in the 'title' role (Michael Battaglia), ably complemented by his real-life wife, Katharine Borowitz as Lady Macbeth/Mrs. Battaglia. Also contributing with great performances are Rod Steiger as the aging mob chieftain (the King), Peter Boyle, Dennis Farina, Stanley Tucci, and, in an inspired bit of casting, comic Stephen Wright. The performances are truly riveting. It's a shame that the 'expert' critics can't see the power and ingenuity of this film.

Far more than a shlock version of Shakespeare's masterpiece, it's an intense, flawless work, updating the Bard's lines with the brutal lingo of the mob. William Reilly, the writer-director, also co-wrote Mortal Thoughts, another sadly overlooked razor-sharp film. And he really knows how to write; the script here allows the performances to be as great as they are.

Don't pay attention to Leonard's totally-missing-the-boat words of condemnation. In fact, I would say, Out, out, damned Leonard. Rent this movie--better yet, buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Leonard Maltin [once again] left clueless
This film is flawless. Don't let the TRULY pretentious Shakespeare snobbery of the reviewers put you off if you're fans of the mob genre or the greatest writer of all time. Done with a more modest indie budget, it compares equally with "Goodfellas" or any other example you care to name and the Shakespearean quality remains in the timelessness of human lust for power. Maltin's talking about flashlights shows a genuine density of insight, as the character is actually wandering at night in a trance of insanity. Its not about sleeping disorders, Leonard!

Turturro by the way gives this film his best performance ever and all the casting is outstanding.

A Great Mafia Movie
I thought that Men of Respect was a great rendition of Shakespeare's Macbeth, for those who like Mafia movies. The screenplay did a very good job of adapting Macbeth to a mafia format. I highly recomend this movie ...