The Matador (2005 film)

The Matador (2005 film)
Name	The Matador
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Richard Shepard
Producer	Pierce Brosnan, Bryan Furst, Sean Furst, Beau St. Clair
Writer	Richard Shepard
Starring	Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Hope Davis, Philip Baker Hall
Music	Rolfe Kent
Cinematography	David Tattersall
Editing	Carole Kravetz-Aykanian
Studio	Miramax, The Weinstein Company, Irish DreamTime
Distributor	The Weinstein Company
Released	2005, 01, 23, Sundance Film Festival, 2006, 01, 27, United States
Runtime	96 minutes
Country	United States, Germany
Language	English
Budget	$12.5 million
Gross	$17.3 million

The Matador (2005 film) is a black comedy thriller written and directed by Richard Shepard. The film stars Pierce Brosnan as a jaded hitman who forms an unlikely friendship with a down-on-his-luck businessman, played by Greg Kinnear, while on assignment in Mexico City. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005, the movie blends elements of dark humor with a character study of loneliness and moral ambiguity, earning Brosnan critical praise for a role that subverted his famous James Bond persona.

Plot

Julian Noble, a globe-trotting assassin for a mysterious organization, is suffering a crisis of confidence during a job in Mexico City. At a hotel bar, he impulsively befriends Danny Wright, a morally straight-laced salesman from Denver struggling to save his failing business. Their bizarre friendship, built over drinks and a visit to a bullfighting arena, is tested when Julian later appears at Danny's home in Colorado, desperate for help with one final contract. The narrative weaves through locations like Phoenix and Las Vegas as Danny and his wife, Bean, become entangled in Julian's violent world, leading to a tense confrontation in a Budapest hotel that forces all three characters to confront their life choices.

Cast

Pierce Brosnan portrays the flamboyant and unstable hitman Julian Noble, a role that marked a significant departure from his previous work. Greg Kinnear plays the earnest everyman Danny Wright, with Hope Davis co-starring as his supportive yet adventurous wife, Carolyn "Bean" Wright. The supporting cast includes Philip Baker Hall as Mr. Randy, Julian's enigmatic and threatening handler, and Dylan Baker as a corporate figure involved in Danny's business troubles. Notable appearances also feature Adam Scott as a bartender in Phoenix and Roberto Sosa as a hotel employee in Mexico City.

Production

Richard Shepard wrote the screenplay, drawing inspiration from his own travels and the concept of a "chance encounter" between disparate individuals. Principal photography commenced in early 2004, with key sequences shot on location in Mexico City, capturing the atmosphere of the Zona Rosa and the iconic Plaza de Toros México. Additional filming took place in Albuquerque, which doubled for Denver and Phoenix, and in Budapest, standing in for other international locales. Pierce Brosnan, who also served as a producer through his company Irish DreamTime, performed many of his own stunts, including the memorable scene where he walks through a hotel lobby wearing only Speedos and boots.

Release

The film had its world premiere on January 23, 2005, at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired for distribution by The Weinstein Company. It was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on January 27, 2006, before expanding to wider release. Internationally, it was distributed by Miramax in several territories, including the United Kingdom and Australia. The home media release followed later in 2006 on DVD and Blu-ray.

Reception

Critical reception was generally positive, with particular acclaim directed at Pierce Brosnan's performance. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports a 76% approval rating based on 144 reviews, with consensus noting the film's sharp wit and Brosnan's charismatic turn. On Metacritic, it holds a weighted average score of 66. The performance earned Brosnan a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in 2006. Commercially, the film grossed approximately $17.3 million worldwide against a $12.5 million budget. Critics from publications like The New York Times and Variety highlighted the effective chemistry between Brosnan and Greg Kinnear.

Soundtrack

The film's score was composed by Rolfe Kent, known for his work on comedies like Sideways. The soundtrack prominently features classic rock and pop songs that underscore the film's tone, including "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart and "I Want to Take You Higher" by Sly and the Family Stone. Other notable tracks include "The Look of Love" by Dusty Springfield and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" performed by Nancy Sinatra. The music is used diegetically in several scenes, particularly in bars and hotels, to enhance the film's quirky, melancholic atmosphere.

Category:2005 films Category:American black comedy films Category:American thriller films