The Matador [DVD]

We have all scene countless movies about two people who should not be on the same planet let alone in the same room together who bond through some cinematic ordeal and become an unlikely pair of friends. "The Matador" is one of those types of movies. Julian Noble (Pierce Brosnan) is a professional hit man, whose euphemism of choice is that he is a "facilitator" of fatalities. Then we have Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear), a businessman who is in Mexico City desperately trying to salvage a business deal that has probably already gone south. Julian is already there to do some of his facilitating when they meet in the hotel bar. Over drinks Danny tells about the death of his infant son, and Julian responds by telling a dirty joke.

It would be hard for a relationship to get off of more of a bad foot (I believe the record is held by Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, who woos the Lady Anne while she is praying over the coffin of her husband, who was killed by Richard, as detailed in the romantic comedy "Richard III"). But while Julian has no social skills beyond juvenile comebacks, dirty jokes, and outright lies, he has found in Danny somebody who is willing to actually listen to what he has to say. That compels Julian to actually say something of substance and this new experience comes to a head at the local bullring where Danny asks what Julian does for a living and he decides to not only tell his new friend the truth, but also shows him how to play the game.

Things come to a head between Danny and Julian several times, and with Julian banging on Danny's hotel door trying to (again) apologize, we jump six months down the road. This time when Julian starts knocking on Danny's door it is back at his home in Denver where he lives with his wife Carolyn (Hope Davis), who is called "Bean." Julian has been suffering from panic attacks and has lost the war. This is not the sort of thing his employer, Mr. Randy (Philip Baker Hall), is willing to tolerate and Julian tells Danny that he has one last chance to do a job and do it right, or else it is more than his professional career that is going to be terminated. Danny, somewhat to our surprise, not only agrees, but is insistent on helping Julian.

What the hell happened in that six month gap created when Richard Shepard's film jumped forward? That is a good question, and the good news is that this film has a great answer to that good question. One of the things that I want from a film like this is a rationale explanation for why two people who are opposites should decide that they compliment each other rather than rub each other the wrong way and end up being friends. "The Matador" has that and it is what makes the film work, along with a memorable performance by Brosnan. I would not exactly say he is exorcising James Bond in this movie, but there are definitely several in jokes that play off of that in the film. Kinnear gets to play it straight while Brosnan lets out all the stops with his character. Julian might be falling apart, but it is when he picks his moments to strip away the veneer, that make watching this film and its familiar "odd couple" plot line worth while.

...and let's face it, he needed one. After thinking for so long that the only thing this guy could do was po-faced self aggrandisement, it has been my pleasure to be proved wrong. Sure, this is one of those 'Travolta Pulp Fiction'-esque roles it would have been difficult to mess up, but he does extremely well as the gruff, unpleasant hit man who's lost his focus. Greg Kinnear reinforces public perception of his high value in support here, and overall, you have a free flowing, highly enjoyable romp. It could have been darker, it could have been funnier, but as it was, it still qualified for 4-stars from this corner. Great.

I saw this movie at the London Film Festival last year and when it was released in cinemas some of the critics panned it and it disappeared. But Pierce Brosnan as Julian Noble, the tired, friendless international hit man who's losing his nerve, is totally convincing and at his absolute best. He's even getting a little scrawny, (see the swimming pool scene) which makes his physical appearance, complete with dodgy moustache, perfectly sleazy (but still kind of cute). Brosnan and Richard Shepard have achieved a difficult task - to create the character who is almost entirely unlikeable but who you still want to like and can really enjoy. Brosnan with his hybrid accent has always had a gaucheness which suits this part perfectly - Julian Noble has no tact, often misjudges the timing of his (albeit very funny) jokes and one-liners, and is really just a big kid who needs someone to talk to.

Greg Kinnear and Hope Davis are also perfect as the couple with whom he forms an unlikely connection, and Philip Baker Hall as Noble's boss is his usual laconic but powerful self. I don't know why this film didn't do well at the box office - must have been to do with lack of money for promotion or simply that it's one of those quirky ones that people just can't compartmentalise. In my book, any movie that has its opening credits played to A Town Called Malice is a winner. Turn your TV up to 11.