The Matador Review (Sunday Business Post)

The Matador
Directed by Richard Shepard

‘Please let me in’ pleads an intoxicated Pierce Brosnan in The Matador, ‘it’s freezing out here and my balls are like bon-bons’. If you were expecting another perfectly coiffed, well-tuxedoed turn from the Irish superstar, prepare yourself for a bit of a shock.
Written and directed by a relatively unknown Richard Shepard, the film starts off in Mexico City. Julian (Brosnan), a jaded hitman at the brink of emotional breakdown, is celebrating his birthday on his own by getting drunk in his hotel bar. There he meets Danny (Greg Kinnear), an honest businessman who is town desperately pitching against a local firm for a lucrative deal. Despite his initial repulsion, Danny feels sorry for his fellow traveller and the two spend some time together over the next two days. When Danny learns his new friend’s occupation, the idea of eliminating the competition and ending his run of bad luck creeps into his mind.
Brosnan famously insisted that certain gay scenes were removed from the final cut of this surprising black comedy. While we’ll never know if the deleted footage would have bettered the theatrical experience, it’s fair to say that even in it’s watered-down format, the Matador pulls few punches.
The casting of the ex-Bond as sleazy, unkempt and sexually deviant Julian was a masterstroke. With an arsenal of colourful catchphrases to challenge the sensibilities of Roy Chubby Brown, Brosnan oozes depravity from every pore.
‘Cheerleaders?’ he yells in one scene. ‘I don’t want to be talking about cheerleaders unless I’m having a soapy shower with them’. Leering over schoolgirls and touring the brothels of the world, he turns his trademark wink and smile routine into something much more sinister.
No film’s success can rely solely on one-liners though and it’s the awkward but warm relationship between the two main characters that make this film. Julian’s ham-fisted attempts at humility and Danny’s guilty pleasure in being associated with a criminal provide a bit of depth for what could have been just another hired gun movie.
Proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks, The Matador adds a fresh twist to the traditional buddy movie. With a crackling script, quirky performances from a strong cast and some truly unforgettable scenes, it’s a clever farewell to her majesty’s secret service for 007.

****