Point of No Return is a 1993 action thriller movie directed by John Badham. The film stars Bridget Fonda as Maggie Hayward/Claudia Ann Doran, Gabriel Byrne as "Bob," Harvey Keitel as Victor the Cleaner, and Dermot Mulroney as J.P. Here are more details about the film:
- Maggie Hayward is a drug addict who commits violent crimes with her boyfriend. During one of their robberies, Maggie kills a police officer, and she is subsequently arrested and sentenced to death. When Bob approaches her with an offer to fake her death and train her as a professional killer, she agrees to escape the death penalty and undergo the transformation. Maggie's training is rigorous and painful, as Bob strips her of her identity, her emotions, and her humanity. He teaches her how to shoot with perfect accuracy, how to seduce her targets, and how to disappear without a trace. Maggie becomes a soulless, efficient killing machine, carrying out assassinations all over the world.
- Maggie's new life as Claudia is a drastic departure from her old world. She moves to San Francisco, where she works as a saleswoman at a department store. She lives in a spacious apartment building that also houses J.P., a friendly, eccentric photographer. J.P. takes a liking to Claudia, and he tries to draw her out of her shell. They become friends, and eventually, they fall in love. Claudia's relationship with J.P. is the first ray of light in her dark existence, and it makes her question the morality of her work. She starts to see her targets as more than faceless enemies, and she begins to feel guilt and remorse for her actions.
- Bob's agency is a shadowy organization that uses assassins like Claudia to carry out political agendas and eliminate adversaries. Bob is Claudia's handler, and he monitors her every move. Bob sees Claudia as a tool, and he has no qualms about sacrificing her life if necessary. When Claudia decides to leave the agency and start a new life with J.P., Bob becomes furious. He sends Victor the Cleaner, a ruthless hitman, to kill Claudia and tie up loose ends. Claudia and J.P. must fight for their survival and outsmart the agency's operatives.
- Point of No Return is a loose remake of Luc Besson's 1990 French film La Femme Nikita. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Fonda's performance but criticized the film for being too formulaic and predictable. Nevertheless, Point of No Return became a cult classic and inspired a TV series and other adaptations in different countries. The movie's soundtrack, featuring artists like Björk, Massive Attack, and Depeche Mode, also gained popularity.
