I never thought of Pierce Brosnan as a "serious" actor. Don't get me wrong, I like the movies he has been in (that I have seen), but there never seemed to be much depth to his characters. Most movies seemed to be more about the action than the character. Not so with this film.

From his start as TV star Remington Steele, through his attempt to be the next James Bond (and in my opinion, not too bad at the role), he recently has seemed to be taking on roles with some gravitas.

We saw glimpses of something in Mrs. Doubtfire, but he was such a minor character, there was little to work with. He has flirted with comedy in the classic Mars Attacks. And maybe the Thomas Crown Affair gave him that one on one role that was a warm up for what I see as his new phase. I didn't see the 2004 Laws of Attraction, so can't comment on that one.

In the just previous 2004 movie, After the Sunset, in which he portrays an aging jewel thief trying to outfox the aging FBI agent, I saw there was more to him than just action. He seemed comfortable with his age in that role and maybe he is seeking parts that place him in that zone.

So here we are at The Matador. By the way, Matador is from the spanish root verb "matar" and although commonly applied to the guy in the bullfight, it also means killer. The bullfight becomes sort of a thematic background for the film.

Brosnan stars opposite Greg Kinnear, who is also possibly one of the most underrated actors out there. I really liked him in the 1996 movie Dear God, and he is really the perfect choice to be opposite Brosnan in this one.

I don't always agree with RottenTomotoes.com, but the critics there are giving this a thumbs up with a 71% fresh rating (that's pretty good for that site). The reason is reflected in many of the reviews:

"An almost perfect mix of heartbreak and humour."-- Liz Braun, JAM! MOVIES

"Funny and touching."
-- Allison Benedikt, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"...plays a little classier, a little more hip than it otherwise might have due to Pierce Brosnan's rascally embracement of poking holes in his own image..."
-- Laura Clifford, REELING REVIEWS

"You've never met anybody quite like the The Matador, even though you may think you have Pierce Brosnan pegged."
-- Linda Cook, QUAD CITY TIMES (DAVENPORT, IA)

That's a sample of a few of the positive review headings. What I liked about this film was the casual way the two main characaters meet. Kinnear, portraying Danny Wright, is an out of work salesman trying to close a big deal in Mexico City, and Brosnan, portraying Julian Noble, a hitman busy with his own line of work, meet by chance at a hotel bar. From that point, the relationship slowly, jerkily, develops.

Brosnan portrays the aging Hitman who is close to a breakdown. Because of his work, he has no home and no friends. He is drawn like a moth to a flame toward Kinnear, a stable and devoted husband with a loving wife. Kinear reacts as we might when faced with meeting someone who says they kill people for a living. At first he thinks it's all talk, but soon becomes convinced by a short demonstration that Noble isn't kidding.

How would you react if you were asked to "assist" in a hit, and all you have to do is trip and fall in the street. For this "act" you would be given $50,000.00 (no requirement to kill anyone directly, just "assist"). Predictably, Kinnear declines this offer, but soon morals and economic expediency collide.

The two spend a couple of on again off again days in Mexico City, learning more about each other (each is as curious as the other about a life they know nothing about) then part ways. In the meantime, Brosnan finds he can no longer pull the trigger due to a mental breakdown, and his own handlers decide to take him out.

Kinnear's wife, portrayed by Hope Davis, is the third part of this effective triad. She and her husband have lost a child, and then suffered the sudden loss of Kinnear's job. She is not very involved in the movie until Brosnan shows up on their doorstep at 11:30 at night like a lost dog with nowhere to go, 6 months after his chance encounter with Kinnear in Mexico City. Davis really shines in the living room scene, in which she not only accepts Brosnan's career choice, but asks to see his gun. I have not seen any of her other movies, but I will probably rent The Weatherman.

In summary, Brosnan made me feel sadness for his lonely life, even though I knew he killed for a living. His personal struggle came right through the screen, especially in a touching scene in his hotel room alone on his birthday, with no one in the world to share it with (even by phone).

The movie has two surprise endings, which I will not give away, but suffice it to say, I don't think you will be able to predict the outcome(s). I like movies I cannot predict, and this was definitely one that kept me wondering what will happen next.

For the more modest in the audience, the movie has a few relatively explicit sex scenes, but they are short. I would feel uncomfortable taking my teenage daughter (or adult daughter) to this one.



Recommended: Yes