From the smoky streets of Little Italy to the milk-stained benches of a hitman's apartment, Born to Watch takes aim at one of the most unique and controversial action dramas of the '90s with its Leon: The Professional (1994) Review. In this week's episode, Whitey, Damo, and Dan on the Land dive deep into Luc Besson's stylish, unsettling, and surprisingly heartfelt film about an unlikely bond between a hitman and a 12-year-old girl.

Would this movie be made today? Probably not. But that's part of its enduring intrigue. The crew revisit the world of Jean Reno's stoic assassin, Gary Oldman's manic DEA agent, and Natalie Portman's breakout performance as Matilda, the orphan who turns vengeance into a calling.

As the boys reminisce, they take a nostalgic trip back to 1994, the year that gave us Green Day's Dookie, Nirvana's Unplugged, Pearl Jam's Vitalogy, and The Offspring's Smash. It was also the year they thought they were "arty as hell" watching French cinema in suburban multiplexes. Cue the milk, the braces, and the John Wayne impressions; this episode delivers the perfect blend of pop culture, humour, and heartfelt nostalgia that makes Born to Watch such a cult favourite.

Damo questions the fascination with milk-drinking hitmen, Dan lists the defining albums of '94, and Whitey recalls seeing the film in cinemas, not realising it would later feel very different once he had an 11-year-old daughter of his own. Together, they unpack the film's layered characters:

• Leon (Jean Reno): slow, gentle, and dangerous, with an oddly pure soul.
• Matilda (Natalie Portman): vulnerable yet vengeful, performing far beyond her age in a debut that stunned the industry.
• Stansfield (Gary Oldman): a villain so unhinged, it’s impossible to look away. His Beethoven-fuelled rampage remains one of the most gloriously overacted performances in movie history.

The trio debates whether the film's tone, which sits somewhere between action, arthouse, and morality play, could survive modern scrutiny. There's talk of Luc Besson's eccentric direction, Portman's controlled emotional performance, and the film's moral discomfort that keeps audiences divided decades later.

They also share behind-the-scenes gems, such as Portman's parents' restrictions on smoking scenes, her early mastery of on-screen crying, and Luc Besson's knack for finding raw emotion in unlikely places. Damo draws parallels to The Exorcist, Dan applauds Reno's physical subtlety, and Whitey argues that Portman should have received an Oscar nomination if not for Anna Paquin's earlier win for The Piano.

The gang laugh their way through some classic Born to Watch segments:

• The Cry-Meter: Whitey admits to misty eyes (7.5%) during the early tragedy.
• The Snorb’s Report: Featuring Elle Macpherson in Sirens, naturally.
• The Hit, Sleeper, and Dud: With shoutouts to The River Wild, Wagons East, and Legends of the Fall.

By the end, the trio agree that Leon remains both haunting and hypnotic, a masterpiece of tone, performance, and ambiguity. It’s a film that feels both dangerous and tender, and is completely unforgettable.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Was Gary Oldman the most unhinged villain of the ’90s?
• Why do all hitmen love milk?
• Should Natalie Portman have won an Oscar for her debut?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave a five-star review at BornToWatch.com.au
.

#LeonTheProfessional1994Review #BornToWatch #LucBesson #NataliePortman #GaryOldman #JeanReno #MoviePodcast #90sMovies #FilmReview #CinephileHumour

Paul Verhoeven is officially a Born to Watch legend, but this week the boys go deep into his most infamous film to find out if Showgirls (1995) deserves a spot at the top of the Rank Bank or belongs buried under a mountain of glitter and regret. The Showgirls (1995) Review will be a lot of fun.

From the moment Nomi Malone hitchhikes into Las Vegas with dreams of stardom and a suitcase full of questionable choices, Verhoeven's neon-soaked disaster invites every kind of reaction. Whitey, G-Man and Damo rip through the plot with their trademark mix of outrage and disbelief, tackling everything from Elizabeth Berkeley's career-ending performance to Kyle MacLachlan's slippery pool scene that's become cinematic legend for all the wrong reasons.

Was Showgirls ever meant to be serious? Could it have worked as a satire? The crew debates whether Verhoeven's direction and Joe Eszterhas's ludicrous script are misunderstood genius or just cinematic malpractice. Damo argues that it's a "full mind-body spiritual experience," while Whitey insists it's “a masterpiece of shit." G-Man tries to stay objective, but even he can't defend dialogue this wooden or acting this drenched in baby oil.

The team delves into the film's troubled production history, including Berkeley's disastrous fallout from Saved by the Bell, Verhoeven's later confession that he pushed her into cartoonish exaggeration, and Kyle MacLachlan's stunned reaction at the premiere: "I was absolutely gobsmacked." They explore how Showgirls was panned on release, only to rise again as a cult classic, the sort of “so-bad-it's-good” masterpiece that packs midnight screenings and inspires drag-queen tributes around the world.

No Born to Watch review would be complete without the Snorbs Report, and this week it's a full-length epic. From the film's Razzie nominations to its $100 million home-video redemption, the boys chronicle how Showgirls became both an artistic failure and a commercial success. There's trivia about its banned trailer, its notorious NC-17 rating, and Verhoeven's history of pushing boundaries, from Basic Instinct to Starship Troopers.

In true Born to Watch fashion, the lads discover a few accidental highlights: Gina Gershon's camp brilliance, the hilariously terrible fight choreography, and Robert Davi's unforgettable line delivery that cements his place in movie-villain history. They even crown Showgirls the global champion of "wank-per-capita cinema", a category no one asked for but everyone understands.

By the end, they decide Showgirls is a film that must be seen to be believed. It's equal parts erotic thriller, unintentional comedy, and cautionary tale about a tragic career. Whether you love it, hate it, or just can't look away, Showgirls remains a cinematic experience unlike anything else.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Was Showgirls a misunderstood genius or glorious trash?
Is Nomi Malone the most unlikeable lead in movie history?
Did Verhoeven create art, or just soft-core chaos in heels?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods.

Drop us a voicemail at BornToWatch.com.au and tell us where this one ranks in your guilty pleasures.

#Showgirls1995Review #BornToWatch #MoviePodcast #PaulVerhoeven #ElizabethBerkeley #CultClassic #SnobsReport #90sMovies #FilmReview #VegasNights

What do you get when you combine corrupt cops, a silent Chuck Norris, a robot tank named the Prowler, and one of the most confusingly gritty films of the '80s? You get Code of Silence (1985) and you get this week's episode of Born to Watch. Our first (and possibly last) Chuck Norris movie, this Code Of Silence (1985) Review was one of our hardest yet.

Originally meant to be a deep dive into the snow-covered world of Fargo, the team made a bold mid-week pivot. Why? Although the Coen Brothers’ classic has its place in cinema history, it lacks denim, moustaches, or Chuck Norris delivering silent justice with a cold stare. This week’s episode is a celebration and interrogation of what many believe to be Chuck Norris's best actual movie: Code of Silence.

Hosting this round is Whitey, joined by the returning G-Man (fresh off a brief sabbatical) and everyone's favourite intern, Will the Work Experience Kid, who's finally found a film with more fists than subtext. Together, the trio dig into the film's layers (yes, there are some), highlights its absurdities (many), and wrestles with the biggest question of all: was Chuck actually acting in this?

Chuck Norris stars as Eddie Cusack, a no-nonsense Chicago cop caught in the middle of a brutal gang war and a police department riddled with corruption. When Cusack refuses to back up a dirty cop, he's iced out by his fellow officers and forced to take on the criminals, the corrupt cops, and a killer in a trench coat... completely solo. Well, almost solo. He does have The Prowler, a remote-controlled robot tank that can shoot gas grenades, blow up doors, and completely derail the realism of the film's final act.

In classic Born to Watch fashion, the boys break it down across all the key angles:

The Plot
Whitey leads the charge, recapping the film's surprisingly tight (yet sometimes baffling) storyline. The team debates Eddie Cusack's moral choices, questions whether Chuck understood his own lines, and marvels at the film's commitment to making stairwells more perilous than actual shootouts.

The Performances
G-Man lays out the argument that this is Chuck Norris's best performance, not just his best movie. With fewer lines and more brooding, Norris actually builds a character with a code. Will's take? He still prefers action over nuance but admits Chuck's stone-faced stare works better here than in Missing in Action or Delta Force.

Direction & Style
Andrew Davis gets some serious love this episode. Before The Fugitive made him a household name, Code of Silence showed he could stage gritty action, squeeze tension out of silence, and give Chuck an actual platform to do more than kick things. The cinematography gives Chicago a grimy, lived-in feel, and the pacing is tighter than expected until the Prowler shows up and explodes all sense of realism.

The Prowler
Will's favourite part of the episode, and the film, is the laughably amazing Prowler, a piece of proto-RoboCop tech that somehow exists in 1985 and gets deployed by one man for reasons no one can explain. Does it break the movie? Maybe. Do we love it anyway? Absolutely.

The Fashion
It wouldn't be Born to Watch without taking a closer look at the outfits. Norris's iconic turtleneck/sweater/denim combo gets a lot of airtime, as does the question of whether a moustache makes you more believable as a cop, or just more '80s.

And of course, no episode would be complete without:

• The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly segment (with bonus Prowler praise)
• Listener shout-outs and rogue OnlyFans tangents
• A few wildly off-topic theories about whether Chuck could've gone full prestige actor if he kept working with directors like Davis

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Is Code of Silence Chuck Norris's best dramatic role?
• Should cops with robot tanks be allowed in stakeouts?
• Was the Prowler basically RoboCop before RoboCop?

Drop us a voicemail at 👉 https://www.borntowatch.com.au and tell us: is Code of Silence an underrated gem or just 80s action fluff in a knit jumper?

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods. Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and report any rogue neckerchiefs immediately.

#CodeOfSilence1985Review #BornToWatch #ChuckNorris #AndrewDavis #80sAction #PoliceThriller #RetroCinema #FilmPodcast #MovieReview #CultClassicCinema