The Matador

“You a spy? Something like that?” asks Greg Kinnear’s character to Pierce Brosnan’s in writer/director Richard Shepard’s "The Matador". You can see why the question would be asked in the first place. Brosnan, after all, was the celebrated James Bond, Britain’s go to guy for saving the world (and their film industry). And the early signs are all in place: our man certainly has a way with the ladies, he packs a trusty revolver and as for the confident swagger, well, talk about licensed to thrill. But just as you settle down, safe in the belief that martinis will be shaken, and not stirred, subtle changes take place. "The Matador" might open on a close up of Brosnan’s world-weary face but almost immediately pulls out to reveal – yes! – a moustache. The name is now Noble, Julian Noble and our hero is applying liberal amounts of sunscreen and has swapped martinis for margaritas. The cold war must be over.

Or is it? Make no mistake, "The Matador" is Brosnan’s 'f*** you' to those involved in making the decision to not cast him as Bond for a fifth time. His interviews illustrated how disappointed he was and his performance single-handedly liberates him from 007 once and for all. He plays the hit man Noble by name and by nature. A master of his craft, though a tiring one with no fixed abode, he travels from city to city, facilitating the needs of his superiors. “It’s mainly corporate jobs”, he explains to a disbelieving Danny Wright (Kinnear) when fate inevitably brings them together down Mexico way. That’s right, we’re once again in the realms of the buddy movie but you’re in safe hands. Kinnear played the perfect foil to Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets" and delivers the moral conscience to Brosnan’s cold-hearted killer. Danny Wright is a down on his luck salesman, who hasn’t recovered from the loss of his son and job a few years ago. The one bright spot in his life is his marriage to Bean (Hope Davis), a relationship that still sparkles with passion and joie de vivre. An early scene finds our lovers getting down and dirty in the kitchen only to be interrupted by a tree crashing through the window. “Still feeling horny?” enquires Danny, and you get the feeling she probably is. Now with the added pressure of salvaging his house, in addition to his finances, Danny duly arrives South of the border on a make-or-break deal. Whilst there, he encounters Noble and from that point on, the drinks and dilemmas start to flow.

The twosome should have been cast on Broadway for "The Odd Couple". They feed off each other and it’s a joy to watch. Matthau and Lemmon...sorry, Noble and Wright meet in a hotel bar, a location last used to such exhilarating effect in Sofia Coppola’s "Lost In Translation". And when you come to think about it, what better backdrop could there be for strangers to meet in? Noble spits out one liners with relish – his two-thirds Dick Van Dyke, one-third Cockney accent is as intoxicating as his seemingly permanent state of drunkenness. “If I can find a hooker’s heart, I can find you, Danny Wright,” he roars with pride. And Wright does the only decent thing by going along for the ride. And what a ride: Danny experiences bullfighting, the nuances involved in killing and quickly becomes drawn in to this way of life. Kinnear is clearly having the time of his life, ironic really when you consider that his part is getting off on other peoples deaths but you imagine that you can’t take yourself too seriously when it comes to this kind of movie.

"The Matador" is an unusually intelligent piece of work, adept at combining comedy with moments of real pathos. It will be hailed as Brosnan’s stand out performance to date and he invests more energy here than at any stage of his career. Not for nothing did he also co-produce the film and he utterly dominates every frame he appears in. Whether he’s engaging the services of hookers, drinking with Danny (“I’m a big fan of the ‘gotta pee’ theory of assassination”) or getting a worrying case of the yips, you won’t be able to take your eyes off him. Shepard’s script is engaging and refuses to stick to traditional plot conventions. But possibly his most inspiring casting was that of his principal cameraman David Tattersall. He films the locations with such poise – Mexico City and the bullfight, in particular, literally shimmer on screen – that they become part of the supporting cast. Speaking of which, Philip Baker Hall, as Noble’s mentor Mr. Randy, plays the father figure with sensitivity and Hope Davis, although not given nearly enough to do, represents the true soul of the movie. As Bean, her enquiring mind (“Can I see your gun?”) and good grace carry you along, culminating in possibly the loveliest scene of the year when she dances to "In The Wee Small Hours" with Noble, all under the watchful eye of her husband. Naturally, though, you’ll remember Brosnan and Kinnear longest and when Noble tells Wright, “That’s why I like you, you’re the complete opposite of me!”, it becomes abundantly clear that the conversation is actually taking place between Brosnan’s Bond and Noble. Talk about the ultimate character assassination. Over to you, 007.

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