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IMDbPro

The Matador

  • 20052005
  • RR
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
45K
YOUR RATING
Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear in The Matador (2005)
Theatrical Trailer from The Weinstein Company
Play trailer2:31
7 Videos
72 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Crime
  • Thriller
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
45K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Richard Shepard
  • Writer
    • Richard Shepard
  • Stars
    • Pierce Brosnan
    • Greg Kinnear
    • Hope Davis
Top credits
  • Director
    • Richard Shepard
  • Writer
    • Richard Shepard
  • Stars
    • Pierce Brosnan
    • Greg Kinnear
    • Hope Davis
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 243User reviews
    • 185Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 6 nominations

    Videos7

    The Matador
    Trailer 2:31
    The Matador
    The Matador
    Clip 2:03
    The Matador
    The Matador
    Clip 2:50
    The Matador
    The Matador
    Clip 2:10
    The Matador
    The Matador
    Clip 1:49
    The Matador
    The Matador
    Clip 2:31
    The Matador
    The Matador
    Clip 2:25
    The Matador

    Photos72

    Pierce Brosnan in The Matador (2005)
    Philip Baker Hall in The Matador (2005)
    Pierce Brosnan in The Matador (2005)
    Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear in The Matador (2005)
    Philip Baker Hall and Dylan Baker in The Matador (2005)
    Philip Baker Hall and Dylan Baker in The Matador (2005)
    Greg Kinnear in The Matador (2005)
    Greg Kinnear and Hope Davis in The Matador (2005)
    Pierce Brosnan in The Matador (2005)
    Greg Kinnear and Hope Davis in The Matador (2005)
    Pierce Brosnan in The Matador (2005)
    Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear in The Matador (2005)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Pierce Brosnan
    Pierce Brosnan
    • Julian Nobleas Julian Noble
    Greg Kinnear
    Greg Kinnear
    • Danny Wrightas Danny Wright
    Hope Davis
    Hope Davis
    • Carolyn 'Bean' Wrightas Carolyn 'Bean' Wright
    Arlin Miller
    • Radio DJas Radio DJ
    • (voice)
    Azucena Medina
    • Young Denver Flingas Young Denver Fling
    Jonah Meyerson
    Jonah Meyerson
    • Ten Year Old Boyas Ten Year Old Boy
    Wiveca Bonerais
    • Ten Year Old Boy's Motheras Ten Year Old Boy's Mother
    Adam Scott
    Adam Scott
    • Phil Garrisonas Phil Garrison
    Portia Dawson
    Portia Dawson
    • Geneviveas Genevive
    Roberto Sosa
    Roberto Sosa
    • Skinny Mexican Manas Skinny Mexican Man
    Antonio Zavala Kugler
    • Hotel Bartender 1as Hotel Bartender 1
    Ramon Alvarez
    • Shooting Stand Owneras Shooting Stand Owner
    Luz Maria Molina
    • School Girlas School Girl
    Philip Baker Hall
    Philip Baker Hall
    • Mr. Randyas Mr. Randy
    Carolyn Horwitz
    • Cantina Turista #1as Cantina Turista #1
    Rachel Schwartz
    • Cantina Turista #2as Cantina Turista #2
    Jorge Robles
    • Hotel Bartender 2as Hotel Bartender 2
    Trio Los Rivera
    • Hotel Lobby Musiciansas Hotel Lobby Musicians
    • Director
      • Richard Shepard
    • Writer
      • Richard Shepard
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The sombrero worn by Pierce Brosnan in the film was sold at auction for $22,000.
    • Goofs
      When Julian is telling the story about his first mistake in Manila, the camera can be seen, hidden behind palm leaves and bamboo, when two guys holding a mirror are walking through the frame.
    • Quotes

      Julian Noble: The margaritas always taste better in Mexico.

      Danny Wright: They certainly do.

      Julian Noble: Margaritas and cock.

    • Crazy credits
      "The filmmakers do not condone bullfighting, but respect its long tradition in the Mexican culture. It was extremely important to the producers that no bulls were harmed because of the production of 'The Matador'. In no way did the producers of this film create, arrange or organize any of the bullfights seen within this movie. Sequences staged by the producers employed fake and computer-generated bulls exclusively. Absolutely no animals were harmed by the production of this movie."
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Last Holiday/The Matador/The Libertine (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      A Town Called Malice
      (1982)

      Written by Paul Weller

      Performed by The Jam

      Courtesy of Polydor Ltd. (U.K.)

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews243

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Corporate Gigs Got You Down?
    "Margaritas and Cock..."

    This tremendously entertaining film grabs you from the opening scene and never stops delivering laughs, surprises and unexpectedly touching moments. I had more fun watching "The Matador" than almost any other film from 2005. It is a wacky film with an unforgettable character, played to perfection by Pierce Brosnan.

    Julian Noble (Brosnan) is a facilitator (hit-man) who specializes in high-end corporate gigs (assassinating rich dudes). He is also experiencing something akin to a mid-life crisis. After coming to realization that he has no real friends, no permanent home and no planned future, he stumbles into a Mexican hotel bar one night and runs into Danny Wright (Kinnear).

    Danny is a down-on-his-luck family man who is on the verge of losing the big business deal that just might turn things around for him. He loves his wife dearly, especially so since they lost their young son a few years earlier.

    The two men are chalk and cheese, hardly any common ground other than that they are in the same desolate bar one night. And somehow a conversation is struck that sets in to motion a chain of events that will change their lives forever.

    The friendship they form reminded me a lot of Laurel and Hardy. One is the straight man and the other is the persistent fool who gets them into trouble. The interplay is superbly timed and finely tuned, due in no small part to the wonderful performances from Brosnan and Kinnear.

    But make no mistake... This is Brosnan's film. He imprints one of the most memorable and despicably likable characters of the decade. He could shoot your mother and apologize immediately thereafter and you'd probably forgive him. Brosnan may be cinema's ultimate charmer, but this is his most endearing and complete performance to date. I wouldn't be averse to seeing an Oscar nod for this role.

    Consider one scene where he overtly ogles a high-school girl with the impurest of thoughts and utters the line, "All blushy blushy... No sucky fucky". He does it with the familiar Bond smirk and manages to get away with it. He manages to tell a young boy, "Tell your mother to lose 30lbs and 20 years. Then get back to me" without coming across as unlikable. In fact, it makes us like him even more.

    And yet the film manages to surprise us with some truly touching scenes, most of which come toward the end when the film takes some unpredictable turns. However, when Julian thumbs through his little black book to find someone to call on his birthday, or when Danny and his wife (Davis) console each other in their bedroom one night, the film reaches an unexpected depth of emotion.

    "The Matador" is stylish and energetic. It is constantly entertaining. And it contains a career-defining role for Brosnan as the lonely hit-man looking for normalcy, friendship and a means to do at least one good thing in his life. This is an overlooked gem in 2005 and you should make an effort to see this film as soon as possible.

    TC Candler of IndependentCritics.com
    helpful•89
    32
    • tccandler
    • Jan 24, 2006

    FAQ1

    • What's the song on Danny Wright's alarm clock?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 27, 2006 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Ireland
      • Germany
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Production Notes
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Matador
    • Filming locations
      • Centro Histórico, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • Stratus Film Co.
      • DEJ Productions
      • Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG II
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $12,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $12,594,698
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $69,100
      • Jan 1, 2006
    • Gross worldwide
      • $17,356,268
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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