My Double bills # 4

Leon & Paper Moon

Two films with star turns from Natalie Portman and Tatum O'Neal. Both play disciples to professional criminals with the dynamics of the relationships of the parent figure, who is essentially immature, with the child at the centre of things.
Both have a feeling of destiny and sorrow and both films have great moments; in the first of violence and in the latter of invention.Mathilda and Addie both have adult behaviours and characteristics but those behaviours are portrayed in an innocent way that shows the child underneath.
John Hillerman as Deputy Hardin and Gary Oldman as Stansfield play villains who's only motivation seems to be exacting a revenge on Ryan O'Neal's Moses Pray and Jean Reno's Leon.
A hit man and a flim flam artist both learn to accept that they are surrogate parents and learn to care about their young charges.