Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- sardonic
- irreverent
- adult movie night
- crime comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an entertaining, sharply performed crime comedy whose unusual male friendship gives its familiar premise emotional substance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Danny Wright’s conventional salesman life is disrupted by Julian Noble’s hitman identity and behavior.
The relationship between Danny and Julian develops despite their radically different lives and values.
Julian’s profession as a contract killer is treated with sardonic humor while retaining crime-thriller stakes.
Julian’s loneliness and Danny’s stalled circumstances lead both men toward unexpected decisions.
Films like The Matador, and why
In Bruges
darkly comic criminal protagonists, male friendship, and midlife reinvention
The Guard
odd-couple chemistry, crime-world tension, and sardonic humor
Midnight Run
buddy comedy structure mixed with violence, melancholy, and unexpected emotional connection
The Hitman's Bodyguard
crime comedy, morally compromised men, and understated emotional depth
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Shepard
- Release Date
- 2005-05-12
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (538)
Cast
- Pierce Brosnan
- Greg Kinnear
- Hope Davis
- Portia Dawson
- Adam Scott
- Israel Tellez
- Arlin Miller
- Azucena Medina
- Jonah Meyerson
- Wiveca Bonerais
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Matador about?
- A lonely hitman and a conventional salesman forge an unlikely friendship that turns criminal danger into a chance for personal transformation.
- What is The Matador like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Matador as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Matador violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Matador as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Matador?
- Critics broadly found the film an entertaining, sharply performed crime comedy whose unusual male friendship gives its familiar premise emotional substance.
- Which films are like The Matador?
- Films with a similar feel include In Bruges, The Guard, Midnight Run, and The Hitman's Bodyguard.
- How long is The Matador?
- The Matador runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Matador?
- In United States, The Matador streams on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
