Agent 007 would never have to stop by a Mexico City whorehouse to score some action, but Julian Noble is a different kind of character, and creepy as the guy seems (with his gigolo chains and Magnum P.I. mustache), you've gotta admit, Brosnan sure makes him fun to watch. The Matador is the kind of cleverly contrived Hollywood screenplay that probably would have gone straight to video if Brosnan hadn't signed on, but since he did, writer-director Richard Shepard was able to upgrade the entire production.

The movie looks great. Shepard has a knack for composition, and he has the novel idea of showing Mexico City as a bright, lively metropolis instead of the gritty, grimy Third World battle zone we're used to seeing in movies like Man on Fire and Traffic. This is the kind of Mexico City tourists might actually want to visit, from its manicured public parks to the ultra-modern hotel where Julian is staying, a Miami Vice-worthy blend of neon walls and fluorescent lights.

Spending his birthday alone in the bar of said hotel, Julian meets Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear), a mild-mannered businessman whom he manages to offend in near-record time. The two men couldn't be more incompatible, but Julian's desperate to make amends, so he invites Danny to a bullfight. Sitting in the stands, Julian casually mentions his line of work, but Danny naturally refuses to believe him. Julian insists on ''proving it,'' and soon enough, the two are bound by their dirty little secret.

As long as the movie's set in Mexico City, The Matador is a slick and entertaining black comedy, but the instant Danny heads back to Denver, it comes flying apart at the seams. With nearly an hour still to go, Julian drops by unannounced and quickly becomes the world's most annoying houseguest. It's painful to watch as the movie basically destroys itself in the second half, slipping from its elegant thriller setup to tired sitcom shenanigans. Still, this comedy's worth seeing for Brosnan's performance alone.