The Matador

Pierce is great at humour, too!

This is an excellent exposition of the hit man genre. Pierce Brosnan joyfully rips his Bond image to shreds as sleazy messed up hitman Julian, the only commonality with Bond is an occasional view down a sniper's rifle.His life coincides with Danny(an excellent Greg Kinnear) an all round American nice guy in Mexico City on business. Julian realises the emptiness of his sniper's life and befriends Danny in a Mexican bar. The two become friends against the throbbing Latino backdrop of this fascinating city.Danny and wife(an excellent Hope davis) are reeling from bad luck after the death of their son Henry. the two spend a few days together in Mexico City. The second act occurs 6 months later in snowy Denver. Julian pitches up to Danny's house. He has botched 2 jobs due to an exhaustion fuelled breakdown and now is being hunted.The 3 of them share a night of drunkeness and Julian asks Danny to help him on one last hit job to save his life. they fly to Tucson, Arizona to a date with destiny... this is an original excellent film, American but with an independent heart just like Martin Blank! It is amazing to see how Julian helps the nervous Danny who 6 months later helps him, The music is excellent, the jam' The Killers and erm Besame mucho. an excellent film with Brosnan cast against type (and fortunately doesn't sing if I hear right about Mame Mia!)

I enjoyed this. The outstanding bit is Piers Brosnan's performance. He was fabulous in the role of a hit man on the edge of a breakdown. It has some really good performances all round, but it didn't grab me, and I didn't find it that funny although I'd bought it as someone recommended it saying it was hilarious. Just goes to show how sense of humour differs. I found it perplexing, stretched my suspense of disbelief, at times darkly funny with a pervading hint of 'something bad's going to happen' right up to the end. I won't spoil it.

Pierce Brosnan, as Julian Noble, burns his Bond and should have bagged an Oscar in the process - Julian runs the gamut from cocksure hitman-swagger through doubt, failure and into shivering, booze-wracked, paralysis. The start point is an unlikely but entirely-convincing chance meeting down in old meh-he-coh, in which Julian decides to befriend a desperate businessman, Danny. For a while we get an entertainingly sadistic buddy movie but it quickly becomes quite sinister. That the whole thing turns out to be an indie feel-good film is unexpectedly, hugely rewarding.

What a great find - a black comedy, of unlikely relationship between bawdy hit man and Average-Joe businessman.. The closest I can think of in terms of tone, is Grosse Pointe Blank. However, this is not a laugh out loud comedy of one liners, the comedy here is in seeing Pierce Brosnan playing so brilliantly against type. He wanted to ditch the James Bond tag, he's done it. Music is fine and quirky, photography frequently imaginative - love the scene where we see Brosnan walking away in the wing mirror of a car. Best of all, the script is sharp, and full of black humour. The situation is surprisingly original, thanks in large part to the enthusiasm of the cast. Brosnan has been rightly praised for his bravery at being such a down and out drunken character, but Greg Kinnear is satisfyingly restrained and effective as the at first unbelieving businessman who becomes a confidante and friend, when the hitman has no-one else to turn to. To say more, would spoil the plot. Not everyone will like this - the language is fruity to say the least, and there are brief explicit scenes, but for once this is intirely in keeping with the character and actually adds to the comedy. Might not bear many repeated viewings, but will make a good rental for the open-minded.

caught this film while flicking through channels one night.It really struck a chord. So funny, so sad, so intense. I was crying with laughter at the margarita scene and the scene leading upto the jump in the pool was very reminiscent of holidays in spain during the 80's The bullring had me on the edge of my seat - will he or won't he? I thought it was great

The Matador is one of the greatest movies of the last decade. It's probably Pierce Brosnan's best performance to date. The main reason of this review is to warn UK (Region B) buyers that this release is not 'Region Free'. Various sites confirm it is region free, however that is for the recent American (Dec 2010)Blu Ray release. This is the Canadian release, which has been available for some time, which is Region A locked. UK buyers are to buy the U.S edition which has a totally different sleeve to this one, so you can't go wrong. I hope that info helps.

Just watched this with my teenage family and what an experience. Funny lines jumping out of nowhere and tense scenes which made my heart pound. It's strange that a cheap film shot in forty days starring Brosnan can be more tense, quick witted, violent yet heartwarming than his previous expensive movies. Good taste is thin on the ground but worth a watch.

La storia è quella di un killer sull'orlo di una crisi di nervi che non si interroga sulla bontà o meno del suo lavoro, che apprezza, ma sul perchè la sua vita sia così vuota di relazioni. Non c'è nessun retrogusto morale, nessun giudizio sul killer, ma il film rappresenta una visione sulla stupidità della solitudine e sull'incapacità di uscirne. Il film non ha mai scene di sangue, mai violenze, mai rappresentazioni urtanti. E', sostanzialmente, un film psicologico. Prodotto da Brosnan medesimo, finalmente l'attore può "fare il brutto" e recitare senza l'obbligo di apparire smagliante... anzi.

tres bonne surprise , tres bon jeu d acteurs ..evidement on pense au tailleur de panama. un seul bemol le placement de produits un peu appuye , qui rend une scene en particulier (aux arrenes ) un peu artificielle . mais c est pour chipoter, la bande son ,la realisation et les dialogues en particulier sont jubilatoires . on passe un tres bon moment ..

I loved this movie. It's a sharp, enjoyable and very funny buddy-comedy with great character development and a big heart. Pierce Brosnan gives one of the best performances of his career, he looks like he's having a hell of a time post-Bond in this film showing a wild and fun new side. Greg Kinnear is terrific. Both leads just knock it out of the park

Il DVD si vede benissimo, ottime condizioni del prodotto, consegna puntuale. Davvero un'esperienza di acquisto ottima.

One of Pierce Brosnan’s best!