Went to a screening of "The Matador" tonight. While I wouldn't call it a "must see" I'd certainly recommend seeing it. The writing is good, the direction is good if a bit uneven in style and pacing at times, but the movie really shines as an actor's movie. Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, and Hope Davis are all hilariously excellent in their roles. Brosnan and Kinnear especially have a lot of fun with their characters. The plot, which revolves around Brosnan the hit man befriending the straightlaced Kinnear, is not entirely convincing but is nonetheless interesting as it's unpredictable without relying on unbelievable shock plot twists.
The writer/director Richard Shepard spoke before/after the show, emphasizing the fact that he'd pretty much resigned himself to loserhood before miraculously getting Brosnan's attention. While aspects of the direction could be improved - as I said the style and pacing was a bit inconsistent at times - overall it was surprisingly good. A wee bit reminiscent in ways of Almodovar and a nonviolent Tarantino.
