Review of The Matador (2005) by Adam B — 09 Sep 2008

The thing about Pierce Brosnan's Bond was, there was very little humour in his performance. He was always cool and calculated as Bond should be, but never very likeable or personable.

Brosnan as an actor spent most of the 80's and early 90's wanting to be Bond. When he actually did make it, he looked the part, but in my mind never quite gelled. This is probably down to the things I noted above as well as his age.

Brosnan's out of Bond efforts have been sporadic and little viewed. The Thomas Crown Affair and After The Sunset were Bond-clones, but The Matador gives Brosnan a chance to be different.

Playing a lothario and seducer he's used to, but a swearing slob assassin is different. He's funny and clever, and with Greg Kinnear as his sparring partner turns in an excellent and funny performance.

Brosnan plays an assassin. A jobber who gets called in by the heavy mob to pick off unwanted rivals. During a trip to Mexico City he meets up with Greg Kinnear, the exact opossite. Kinnear, married, house, steady job - everything Brosnan wants or envies.

So begins an unlikely alliance as Kinnear and Brosnan spend the film playing polar opposites who begin to like an admire each other for the things that are different in both.

The Matador doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is. It hasn't got the silly fast paced editing of a Guy Ritchie or Tarantino effort or the incomprehensible twists of a Soderbergh film - but sits neatly into both of those director's genre's.

Its much more of a breakthrough film for Brosnan who shows he can act and play funny, interesting and deeply flawed characters. Post-Bond roles have proved notoriously difficult for Lazemby, Moore and Dalton, so its great to see Brosnan carving out his own individual niche.

The Matador is only 96 minutes long and is simple and breezy, a great watch.