By Rebecca Schriesheim
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He's a killer, an alcoholic, and a womanizer — no, Pierce Brosnan is not James Bond. He is, unfortunately, Julian Noble, a hot mess of a hitman who kills for a living, but is also killing his soul in the process. The Matador is an excellent black comedy that spares no punches in its sick humor or amusing bromance between Brosnan's character and the always-endearing Greg Kinnear. A sharp, fast-paced 90-minute crime caper, The Matador slipped under the radar with Brosnan's jarring transformation from the suave 007 to a vulgar killer, and it is absolutely debaucherous fun.
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Julian Noble may be Brosnan's greatest role of his career — at least renowned critic Roger Ebert thought so in his glowing review of The Matador, which he bestowed an impressive four out of four stars. The film is directed by Richard Shepherd, who embraces Brosnan's former status as the most seductive, stylish killer from his time as James Bond, and practically builds a satire around the character. Co-starring Hope Davis, Dylan Baker, Philip Baker Hall, and Adam Scott, The Matador remains as hilarious as it was 20 years ago.
What Is 'The Matador' About?
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Pierce Brosnan plays Julian Noble, an alcoholic, sex-addicted hitman who is washed up and nearing a nervous breakdown. Sent to do a job in Mexico, he treats it like a bender, teetering dangerously close to the edge when he almost blows his next hit because of his wild nights. He then meets Danny Wright (Kinnear), who is a down-on-his-luck salesman in Mexico for a deal, over a night of fateful margaritas at the hotel bar. Initially disgusted by Julian's vulgarity, the two become unlikely friends, and Julian reveals to Danny what he does for a living. Because of his drinking, and a growing crisis about killing his targets, Julian starts messing up assignments. Danny then becomes Julian's emotional crutch in his missions by encouraging him to keep calm and keep killing.
Roger Ebert Called ‘The Matador’ Pierce Brosnan’s Best Performance to Date
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T he Matador received rave reviews and is one of the most delightful 2000s buddy comedies. Kinnear plays Danny like a fumbling, bumbling pile of panic, and Brosnan is always cool, but with an unhinged energy that goes off at a moment's notice through hallucinations and anxiety attacks. Never allowed to expose his funny bones before, Brosnan is hilarious in a parody of the ever-elusive hit man. Ebert hailed both Brosnan and Kinnear's heartwarming friendship, and the unexpected hilarity Brosnan brought to the role:
"Brosnan redefines “hit man” in the best performance of his career…The richness of his comic performance depends on the way he savors and treasures this character; at no point does Brosnan apologize for Julian, or stand outside of him, or seem to invite our laughter. He is like the charming stranger you meet in a bar, who you know could become your best friend if he were not so obviously a time bomb. Against Brosnan, Kinnear and Davis are perfect foils, enjoying his character as much as he does.”
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Pierce Brosnan Is the Antithesis of James Bond as an Alcoholic Hit Man
At the time The Matador was released, Brosnan had just finished up his run as James Bond, in the 2002 film, Die Another Day. The Matador was like night and day for him in a role he was so familiar with but tackled with a comedic ferocity and abandonment. It’s undoubtedly Brosnan’s best role outside of James Bond, and his bravest. The greatest revelation through his performance, though, is how funny he is. He struts through the hotel in Mexico wearing nothing but his underwear and boots, while chugging a beer, before plunging himself into the pool outside. The scene is an excellent symbolization of how Julian himself is drowning in his own life and the misery he’s now found in his job. Death used to be the only way out for Julian, but now that he's found Danny, he has found life again. And in return, Danny has found new life in the fear of the unknown and dances with death like the bulls and the Matadors.
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The Matador
R
Alcholic hitman Juian Noble is in Mexico for a job when he runs into the straight-laced saleman, Danny Wright, at a hotel bar. As Julian unravels, he brings Danny into his world of killing to stay afloat.
- Release Date
- May 12, 2005
- Director
- Richard Shepard
- Cast
- Pierce Brosnan , Arlin Miller , Azucena Medina , Jonah Meyerson , Wiveca Bonerais , Greg Kinnear
- Runtime
- 96
- Main Genre
- Comedy
The Matador is available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.