Leonisa1994French-produced,English-languagethrillerfilmwrittenanddirectedbyLucBesson.ItstarsJeanRenoasthetitularmobhitman,GaryOldmanascorruptDEAagentStansfield,ayoungNataliePortman,inherfeaturefilmdebut,asMathilda,a12-year-oldgirlwhoistakeninbythehitmanafterherfamilyismurdered,andDannyAielloasTony,themobsterwhogivesthehitmanhisassignments.

　　Onaparticularday,hemeetsMathildaLando(NataliePortman),atwelve-year-oldgirlwithablackeyeandsmokingacigarette,livingwithherdysfunctionalfamilyinanapartmentdownthehallway.Herabusivefatherandself-absorbedstepmotherhavenotevennoticedthatMathildahasstoppedattendingclassatherschoolfortroubledgirls.Mathilda'sfather(MichaelBadalucco)attractstheireofcorruptDEAagents,whohavebeenpayinghimtostorecocaineinhisresidence.Aftertheydiscoverthathehasbeenstealingsomeofthedrugsforhimself,acadreofDEAagentsstormthebuilding,ledbysharp-suiteddrugaddictNorman"Stan"Stansfield(GaryOldman),whomurdersMathilda'sentirefamily,missingheronlybecauseshewasoutshoppingwhentheyarrived.Shereturnsasthegroupiscleaningupthecarnage,realizingwhathashappenedjustintimetocontinuedownthehallwayandreceivesanctuaryfromareluctantLéon.

　　MathildadiscoversthatLéonisahitman.Shebegshimtobecomehercaretakerandtoteachherhisskillsasa"cleaner";shewantstoavengethemurderofherfour-year-oldbrother,claimingthathewastheonlymemberofherfamilysheloved.Léonshowsherhowtousefirearms,includingascopedrifle.Inreturn,sheoffersherservicesasamaidandteacher,remedyingLéon'silliteracy.MathildatellsLéonseveraltimesthatsheisfallinginlovewithhim,buthesaysnothingback.Afterincreasingherexperiencewithfirearms,MathildafillsashoppingbagwithgunsfromLéon'scollectionandsetsouttokillStansfield.ShebluffsherwayintotheDEAofficebyposingasadeliveryperson,onlytobeambushedbyStansfieldinabathroom.MathildalearnsfromStansfieldandoneofhismenthatLéonhaskilledoneofthecorruptDEAagentsinChinatown.Léon,afterdiscoveringherintentionsinanoteleftforhim,rushestorescueMathilda,shootingtwomoreofStansfield'smenintheprocess.

　　Stansfieldisenragedthe"Italianhitman"hasgonerogue.HebeatsTony,forcinghimtosurrenderLéon'swhereabouts.AssoonasMathildareturnshomefromgroceryshopping,anNYPDESUteam,sentbyStansfield,takesherhostageandattemptstoinfiltrateLéon'sapartment.LéonambushestheESUteamandfreesMathilda.Intheapartment,LéoncreatesaquickescapeforMathildabychoppingaholeinaslenderairshaft.Hereassuresherandtellsherthathelovesherandthatshehasgivenhim"atasteforlife",momentsbeforethepolicecomeforhim.Inthechaosthatfollows,LéonsneaksoutoftheapartmentbuildingdisguisedasawoundedESUofficer.HeisunnoticedsaveforStansfield,whorecognizesthehitmanandshootshim.LéonthenplacesanobjectinStansfield'shands,whichheexplainsis"fromMathilda",anddies.Openinghishands,Stansfieldfindsthepinfromagrenade.HeripsopenLéon'svesttodiscoverseveralactivegrenadesonhischestrightbeforeamassiveexplosionkillshimaswell.

　　MathildaheadstoTony'splaceasshewasinstructedtodobyLéon.TonywillnotgiveMathildamorethanasmallamountofthefortuneLéonhadamassed,which