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Poster for The Professional

The Professional

1981 · 108 min

A cool, cynical spy thriller that simmers with betrayal and pays off in tense, satisfying set pieces.

Tagline
Never leave vengeance to amateurs.
Overview
Josselin Beaumont, a French secret agent, is tasked with assassinating Njala, the president for life of Malawi in Africa. A shift in French policy means that assassinating Njala is no longer an option. But instead of recalling their agent, high-ranking officials deliberately sacrifice Beaumont by handing him over to the Malawian authorities. Arrested, tried, and imprisoned, he nevertheless manages to escape. Back in Paris after a two-year absence, he informs his superiors through Colonel Martin that he will fulfill his contract during Njala’s upcoming official visit to Paris between the 12th and 15th of this month, and that he has a few scores to settle with the D.G.S.E. The question is, should Beaumont be stopped or not?

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In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • cynicalstrength 2 of 3
  • darkstrength 1 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
brisk, 3 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • betrayal
  • revenge
  • corruption
  • justice
  • isolation
Places
  • big city
  • countryside
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
None
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language mild
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action7
Horror2
Humour3
Realism7
Romance3
Tension7
Darkness6
Complexity6
Emotional weight6

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Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
action, adventure, thriller
Directed by
Georges Lautner
Written by
Jacques Audiard, Michel Audiard, Georges Lautner
Starring
Jean-Paul Belmondo, Robert Hossein, Elisabeth Margoni, Jean-Louis Richard, Jean Desailly, Michel Beaune, Cyrielle Clair, Pierre Vernier
Music
Ennio Morricone
Cinematography
Henri Decaë
Runtime
108 min
Country
France
Languages
French

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