Eventually, he enlists a self-making businessman named Danny, played by Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets), whom he meets during a job in Mexico City.

The picture actually had a big heart, despite being about an assassin. I enjoyed the story writing, and the unusual sequences of scenes in the second act.

Both Brosnan and Kinnear were great, but it was Brosnan's performance which made this movie fly. In a high concept comedy, it is so easy to make the pivotal character an outlandish improbable baffoon; however, Brosnan plays the character of Julian as strait and real as possible. We get to see and feel every legitimate moment of angst Julian has losing his nerve in a profession he was once a master in and Brosnan hits it dead on. I was extremely impressed.

Hope Davis (The Weatherman), who has been getting a lot of main stream work, which I really appreciate since I've always thought she was underrated in the world of indie releases, plays Danny's wife, and provides quite a few laughs on her own. She's a sweet presence when she wants to be.

The movie's comedy is very gentle and at times very dark. Not in a Tarantino kind of dark comedy style, but just enough to make you laugh out of nervousness; however, there are several laugh out loud moments through the second act.

One thing that may put some viewers off, I think, is the fact that there is a lot of character development until the final storyline is revealed, a lot of set up. It may appear there is very little plot, whereas in fact the plot is evolving.

Overall, I thought the picture was fairly original and worth going if you're in the mood for a dry and dark R-Rated comedy without t**s and a**; just a womanizer's mouth on Brosnan. If that's the mood you're in, than "The Matador" should be your choice to see for your next night at the cinema.