You can tell that Pierce Brosnan in having fun in The Matador, the smart new dark
comedy from writer/director Richard Shepard. Best known for his James Bond
roles, Brosnan gleefully dismantles his suave screen persona as Julian
Noble, a burned-out assassin who carouses with hookers, tries to pick up
teenage girls, and drinks himself into oblivion as he contemplates a life
of utter loneliness. Shepard sends the film off with a bang as Julian
travels the globe, dispatching his victims with cold efficiency. But when
he’s wished a happy birthday by his handler (Philip Baker Hall), he
begins to take stock of his life. Despondent, he realizes that he’s
yet to make a single worthwhile human connection in his lifetime and goes
out on a bender. He ends up in a Mexico City hotel bar, where he meets
Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear), a modest Denver businessman in town to snag an
important client. The two casually strike up a conversation; the next day,
Julian treats Danny to a bullfight and tells him what he does for a living.
The relationship that forms between these two is
initially tenuous at best. Danny is intrigued by Julian, but he knows that
he shouldn’t trust him. Although he tells his wife, Bean (the
wonderful Hope Davis), that “for an assassin, he’s very
nice,” he’s still wary, especially when Julian winds up on
Danny and Bean’s Denver doorstep late one snowy night. Julian sees
Danny as a model of normalcy and innocence he can never hope to be.
Everything old becomes new again through Danny’s eyes, and Julian
responds to this, as well as to the notion that he may actually be forming
a friendship. Brosnan does an exceptional job here, showing his
range. Yes, he’s got the macho swagger down, but he’s also
adept at light comedy and pathos, knowing instinctively how to finesse a
scene that requires both. Kinnear is a worthy foil for him, bringing to
life Danny’s sense of dread and excitement without ever being too
obvious or over the top. This sort of “normal guy” role is an
easy one to miscalculate but Kinnear has it down pat, as does Davis, who
has a wonderful scene in which she recounts the tough times she’s
been through and the strength she’s gained from her husband to
survive them. I’d hesitate to call The
Matador a great film, but it certainly is a fun
one. And it offers the rarest of things: a well-written, fully realized
relationship between two men. You know that these guys would kill for each
other and you hope you never have the misfortune of ever ending up in their
crosshairs. Best of Youth (Part 2) [R]
An epic that chronicles the life and times of two Italian brothers and the
colorful characters they encounter during 40 years of their lives. Italian with English subtitles White Oaks
Date Movie [PG-13] From
the brains that brought the Scary Movie films, a date movie. ShowPlace
West, ShowPlace East
Eight Below A pack of
dogs struggles to survive a harsh Alaskan winter after their three human
companions desert the scientific expedition due to the severe weather
conditions. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2006.
