THE INSTIGATORS – Review by T. J. Callahan
The Instigators: “I have a gun.”
The Instigators reunites Matt Damon with the Affleck brothers, Casey as a co-star and Ben as producer, in this heist comedy set in their hometown of Boston where the accents are as thick as the bumbling criminals trying to stay one step ahead of the law.
Damon is ex-Marine Rory, a divorced dad wanting to do right by his son, but he needs $32,480 that he doesn’t have to make it happen. Casey is Cobby, a wayward ex-con with a drinking problem. The two are thrown together as part of an inept Ocean’s Eleven tasked with robbing the city’s corrupt mayor on the eve of his expected re-election. When the caper collapses, the would-be thieves find themselves on the run from not only the police, but the profiteering politician’s henchmen with Rory’s therapist (Hong Chau) along for the ride.
Rory and Cobby are the Odd Couple’s Felix and Oscar of the underworld. Bickering fish out of water felons who aren’t skilled enough to kill. They’re only out for a quick cash grab to make their lives easier. The antics of Affleck, Damon and the more seasoned criminal cast come off as a bit cartoonish, but the characters are likable despite the terroristic subject matter. The Instigators is a mild mannered action movie lucky to be supported by top notch players.
Oscar winners Damon and Affleck and Academy Award nominee Chau share the line up with Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, Michael Stuhlbarg, Paul Walter Hauser, Ron Perlman and Toby Jones. With a quick cameo from New England footballer Rob Gronkowski. They elevate a film that you could certainly wait to see when it streams.
The Instigators is a fun and easy hour and a half(ish) that doesn’t steal your time. It’s a great airplane movie, but if you aren’t traveling in the near future, catch this flick in theaters now or when it comes to Apple TV + on August 9th. The Instigators gets a 6 out of 10 on the TeejFlixometer.
