Movie Review: The Matador

The Matador

The Matador is one of those films I'd started hearing more about as awards season geared up. The role was, I heard, a real departure for Pierce Brosnan (lately of 007 fame). The script was, I'd read, clever, and the story a good one. I'll also confess that a few clips I saw of the film on "Entertainment Tonight" were intriguing to say the least. So when The Matador came to a theatre not too far away, a friend and I decided to take a look. The result: She wasn't impressed. On the other hand, I liked it quite a bit.

The Matador isn't about a matador, though the metaphor is solid enough. It's about ironically named aging hit man, Julian Noble (Pierce Brosnan).When we first meet Julian, he's in Denver, Colorado for a job. As he all too casually completes his contract, there's no indication that he's nearing a total burn-out. In fact, he efficiently packs up and gets ready to head south of the border where his next job awaits him.

Meanwhile, Denver resident Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear) is packing, too. He's going to Mexico for an all important job interview for a project that could make or break his fledgling firm. His wife, Carolyn (Hope Davis), is behind her husband all the way. But it's hard to wonder if it's not an omen when, the morning Danny is to catch his plane, a storm blows a tree right into through the roof of their kitchen.

Somehow, Danny and his partner make it in time for their flight and they arrive in sunny Mexico where they worriedly rehearse their sales pitch. Julian is also making plans. In fact, he has to move forward more quickly than he'd like when his quarry unexpectedly gets ready to leave for Europe. The early completion of his job leaves Julian with some spare time on his hands, and that's how it is he's in the hotel bar at just the right time to meet Danny.

Julian drinks because he has nothing else to do; Danny is having margaritas because the pitch went so well. The two men, of course, are polar opposites. They strike up a conversation which ends quickly when Julian is inexcusably insensitive. As a sort of a peace offering, Julian tells Danny he's got an extra ticket to a bullfight on Sunday afternoon. It's when the two are seated next to each other in the arena that they start making small talk, and Danny eventually gets out of Julian the information that he "facilitates fatalities" for a living. Danny is first incredulous and then intrigued. Julian is just happy to have somebody to talk to for a change.

But nothing lasts forever, and Danny soon goes home and Julian moves on. Neither should have ever expected to see the other again. But some months later, Julian lands on Danny's doorstep. And that's when things really begin to get interesting!

Pierce Brosnan is surprisingly perfect for the role. He's dashing enough to intrigue the ladies, and he's got a surprising bent for comedy. Greg Kinnear has both the looks and the demeanor to play the mild-mannered Danny, but he's also able to believably rise to more serious occasions. Hope Davis is a delightful foil for Kinnear's wide-eyed innocence.

The direction is just fine, and the editing is excellent, and the location shots are well rendered. The script is understated and very, very funny, and the story itself was one worth hearing. (Before you ask, my friend didn't like the movie because she felt it was too slow moving and that a few genuinely funny moments didn't make up for it; I, on the other hand, thought it was understated and that that very quality made the action more surprising and the comedy more effective.)

If you're looking for non-stop action or to leave the theatre sore from the belly laughs, The Matador isn't the movie for you. But adult movie-goers who appreciate some twists and turns that aren't taken too seriously could do much worse than this largely unheralded little movie.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: The Matador is rated R for "strong sexual content and language." There are some of both in the movie — more of the latter than the former. And certainly the implied violence is strong at the least (hit men do, after all, kill people for a living). But there's no graphic nudity, and frankly some of the worst language includes some of the funniest lines in the movie which means the movie wouldn't be unattractive or inappropriate for mature teens of about age 16 and up. My good friend notwithstanding, I'd still recommendThe Matador.