The Matador (2005)

Written and directed by Richard Shepard, nabbed Pierce Brosnan a Golden Globe nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. Also stars Greg Kinnear and Hope Davis, with a witty tagline: "A globetrotting hitman and a crestfallen businessman meet in a hotel bar in Mexico City in an encounter that draws them together in a way neither expected." How could this one miss (pun not intentional, but amusing nevertheless)?

I LOVE Pierce. His James Bond is second only to Sean in my book, and all around he's talented, sophisticated, witty and entertaining. In this flick, he's Julian Noble, an aging hit man tiring of the solitary life he's created for himself. Despite the fact that he's been nearly everywhere on the planet and bedded whomever he chose, he's turned into a miserable alcoholic hiding so many secrets and telling so many lies that he's no longer sure what IS true or if he wants to believe it anyway. He's got a quirky sense of humor, sort of like a 14 year old with a firearm...and though his joking is humorous, he's unable to make a real social connection with anyone. Sad, lonely, looking for love and companionship...killing his targets methodically along the way.

On a job in Mexico, he meets distraught businessman Danny Wright (Kinnear)...a fellow who's lost his only child and is taking his 'last shot' at making his career work. He's suffered so much, was unable to save his child from drowning at a party, and his life has become a gaping wound and he feels as if he's completely to blame. His wife, Carolyn, still loves him but the grief they share is overpowering their marriage.

Julian and Danny begin chatting it up in the hotel bar, and Julian decides he's going to make a genuine friend. Though Danny thinks he's a bit odd, he jumps in with both feet when his business deal collapses and the two head off to a bullfight where Julian confesses his true occupation for the very first time to another human being he intends to let walk away. They part amicably, Danny envious of Julian's freedom, Julian envious of Danny's lack thereof.

During the next several months, they live their separate lives, Danny beginning to do well financially, Julian slipping with every consecutive hit. He begins having panic attacks and botching jobs, putting his clients in jeopardy and risking his own death by continuing. He speaks with his 'boss', requesting that his next hit be his last...he's had enough and wants to retire and LIVE. What he isn't aware of is that no one in his business retires and lives. He's assigned one last job, and when he realizes he can't complete it and that he'll be taken out instead, he heads for the home of his only friend...Danny.

Danny and Carolyn welcome him into their home and they all have a lovely booze session...and Julian spills the beans and begs Danny to come with him to the racetrack on his last job to make sure he gets it right.

Gosh it sounds great, doesn't it? Interesting, great actors...alas, don't be fooled! The movie continues for another hour or so AFTER we reach the point in the plot with Danny and Julian at the racetrack. No, I'm not kidding. I began rolling my eyes when they first meet in the bar...it's not that Kinnear or Brosnan are bad actors...far from it...but the script is just terrible. Not a bit of it is believable, and yes, I realize that movies are makebelieve, but this is just too over the top to be even plausible. The characters are underdeveloped, and there's a huge hump in the story between Mexico and when Juilan turns up at Danny's. Again, not at all believable. Would anyone, no matter how nice, let a hit man they met in Mexico and knew for a few days enter their home and convince them to be an accessory to murder? Yes, there is a plot twist and we find out that there's a reason why Danny feels he MUST do this, but it isn't worth another hour of film.

I was SOOO disappointed...my time is precious, and this one must not have tested well so they tweaked it late in the game. It just lost me midway through...and I'd still say it's worth seeing just to get a glimpse of Pierce in his undies and cowboy boots, but make some popcorn so you have something to do when you're bored silly for the last bits.