Review of The Matador (2005) by Chads. — 30 Jan 2006

What a shame that the pair of "Analyze This" films had to exist because this take on a chemically imbalanced psychopath is fresh in spite of the subject's overfamiliarity. When Pierce Brosnan reaches his breaking point, it doesn't feel like a ham-a-thon because the former-James Bond already has a track record of registering more than one facial expression(if you look at the Robert DeNiro oeuvre, more often than not he's frowning).

"The Matador" is a constant surprise because we walk into the theater with the wrong set of criteria, the one reserved for wide release fare. When I saw Hope Davis' name during the opening credits, I said to myself, "Oh, Hope Davis isn't normally a slummer," and she doesn't start here.

When Davis uses the "f"-word in "The Weather Man", she's cutting; here, her usage is a comic highlight. Paired with Greg Kinnear(who is good and rightfully bland as a middle-class guy, but imagine the comic heights if Davis was reteamed with her "American Splendor" co-star), they reduce Pierce Brosnan from James Bond to capable ensemble actor.

And that's a good thing. The leap forward in the film's timeline feels self-consciously like Tarantino-lite, but what is revealed when the film returns to that juncture actually surprises, actually works.

This grade might be a little too high, but the song that graces "The Matador('s)" final scene will leave you with a stupid grin on your face if you're aware of the band's name.