The Matador

The Matador is a 2005 black comedy crime film written and directed by Richard Shepard and starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear. The film was released on DVD on July 4, 2006, and on HD DVD on December 19, 2006. Brosnan received praise and was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and a Saturn Award for his performance as disillusioned, unstable hitman Julian Noble. Plot An encounter in the bar of the Mexico City branch of the Camino Real Hotels, between tired businessman Danny Wright, hoping to land a career-saving contract in Mexico, and jaded, falling-apart-at-the-seams assassin Julian Noble, leads them into an awkward friendship. Julian is confronting the immorality of his profession and experiencing a mid-life crisis that caused him to freeze on a job; Danny is fearing that a vitally important deal will fall through and cost him his job. After an uncomfortable-at-times conversation, Danny leaves the bar. Julian apologizes and invites him to see a bullfight. During the show, Julian reveals the kind of work he does, and when Danny is skeptical, takes him through the steps of how to murder a portly spectator in the arena bathroom. Danny is shocked at how easily Julian can get within inches of the man, even though he ends the "tutorial" without going through with the murder. Later, while at an outdoor cafe, Julian asks Danny to assist him in "facilitating a fatality"; Danny flatly refuses and Julian leaves. On leaving, it appears that Julian has definitively had enough of Danny. However, that evening Julian knocks on Danny's hotel room door, pleading to be let in, wanting to apologize for attempting to involve Danny in his work. Danny sits within looking undecided, and the scene cuts to black with the sound of glass breaking, not revealing what happened next.