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MOVIES / ON DVD / THE MATADOR
The Matador

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The Matador (2005)

75%
74%
83%
N/A
N/A
N/A
75 %
Reviews Counted: 145 Fresh: 109  Rotten:36 Average Rating: 6.7/10
 
Consensus: This humorously amoral, oddball comic thriller features strong performances by Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear as a flamboyant, aging hit-man and an out of work suburban businessman, respectively.
 

How does the Tomatometer work?

The Tomatometer measures the percentage of positive reviews from Approved Tomatometer Critics for a certain movie.[-]

Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins

Theatrical Release: Dec 30, 2005 Limited

Box Office: $12,449,517

Synopsis: Pierce Brosnan is outstanding as an international hit man falling apart at the seams in Richard Shepard's dark comedy THE MATADOR. Brosnan, riffing on his success playing the very well groomed and genteel James Bond and Remington Steele, stars as Julian Noble, a no-longer-noble hit man who... Pierce Brosnan is outstanding as an international hit man falling apart at the seams in Richard Shepard's dark comedy THE MATADOR. Brosnan, riffing on his success playing the very well groomed and genteel James Bond and Remington Steele, stars as Julian Noble, a no-longer-noble hit man who spends his free time getting drunk and chasing impossibly young skirts. In Mexico he meets Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear), an average Joe trying to land an important business deal. Jealous of Danny's simple life, Julian becomes friends with the Denver suburbanite, who married his high school sweetheart, Bean (the very good Hope Davis), but lost his young son in a terrible accident. One day at a bullfight, Julian tells Danny what he does for a living, but Danny doesn't believe him--until Julian shows him an example of his expertise. But when Julian asks Danny to help him with his next assignment, Danny is dead-set against it, and ready to end their brief friendship. Little does he know that he has not seen the last of the rather unique hit man. Writer-director Shepard, whose previous work includes the indie films OXYGEN, MERCY, and THE LINGUINI INCIDENT, shows a deft hand for offbeat comedy in THE MATADOR, a very funny movie with a razor-sharp edge to it. Brosnan and Kinnear make a great duo, the latter the straight man to the former's reckless abandon. Shepard keeps the laughs coming with huge titles announcing the different locations as well as with a brilliant soundtrack featuring songs by Tom Jones and Asia in addition to the Jam, the Killers, and the Cramps--whose "Garbageman" anchors a hysterical scene involving Julian, a can of beer, a pair of Speedos, a hotel lobby, and a shark. [More]

Genre: Comedies

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Hope Davis, Dylan Baker, Philip Baker Hall

Director: Richard Shepard
Screenwriter: Richard Shepard
Producer: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Furst, Mark Gordon, Brad Jenkel, Beau St. Clair
Director: Bob Yari
Composer: Rolfe Kent

DVD Info

Release:

Dec 19, 2006

[DVD Details]

Buy It On DVD

Reviews

 
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Ratings Image
6/10

...a hip and hilarious dark comedy.

Full Review | comment Comment
02/28/08
Brandon Fibbs
BrandonFibbs.com
Ratings Image
4/5

Brosnan's work as a monster who'd like to become human, but has no idea how, is painfully funny.

Full Review | comment Comment
09/27/07
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
08/16/07
Ben Walters
Time Out New York
Ratings Image
3/4

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound
Ratings Image
1/4

A chemistry-free buddy flick.

Full Review | comment Comment
07/02/07
Kam Williams
Upstage Magazine
Ratings Image
N/A

Get past the stunt casting, and The Matador has very little to offer, despite all the hubbub surrounding it.

Full Review | comment Comment
03/01/07
Daniel Eagan
Film Journal International
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
01/27/07
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Ratings Image
3/4

But the gold star here goes to Brosnan. His performance digs deep into Julian's soul and it is that depth that makes the performance stand out.

Full Review | comment Comment
12/13/06
Michael A. Smith
Nolan's Pop Culture Review
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
10/07/06
Andrew O'Hehir
Salon.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image
3.5/5

in an ideal world, The Matador would be the movie to watch on a late Friday afternoon to start relaxing for the weekend

Full Review | comment Comment
09/10/06
Joseph Proimakis
Movies for the Masses
Ratings Image
3/4

Brosnan's sleazy, broken-spirited hitman Julian Noble nabs the spotlight in Richard Shepard's generally pleasing comic thriller

Full Review | comment Comment
08/27/06
Jay Antani
Perihelion Journal
Ratings Image
2/4

... it does give Brosnan a chance to show his comic skills in an edgy comedy that is perhaps not dark enough for the subject matter.

comment Comment
08/09/06
Lori Hoffman
Atlantic City Weekly
Ratings Image
C+

Thrives on its sleazeball hero being so colorful that you forget its thin, vacuous, amoral and improbable hit man story.

Full Review | comment Comment
07/11/06
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ratings Image
3/4

Brosnan is performing his own high-wire act here, daring us not to like his sleazy, vulgar, insensitive, immoral character.

Full Review | comment Comment
07/06/06
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
Ratings Image
3/4

Casting Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets) to play the straight man to Brosnan's wacked-out whack-man was a stroke of genius.

Full Review | comment Comment
07/04/06
James Plath
Reel.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
05/12/06
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review
Ratings Image
3/4

An amusing and original comedy that skips along with the quirky, charismatic shake-shake-shake of maracas.

Full Review | comment Comment
05/04/06
Matt Pais
Metromix.com
Ratings Image
4/5

Click to read the article

Full Review | comment Comment
04/01/06
Empire Magazine
Ratings Image
N/A

The Matador dances to its own rhythm.

Full Review | comment Comment
03/17/06
John Larsen
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