Running Time: 101 minutes
This film from Apple Studios will be available to stream on Apple TV+ on August 9th.
Occasionally, a film comes along featuring a cast and crew so talented one initially expects that there would be no way it could go wrong. The Instigators is an action/comedy directed by the talented Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow), starring several Oscar winners and nominees. It’s a very slickly-produced effort and bits and pieces of the movie work because of the performers. Still, the film never quite reaches the heights that one would expect it to.
The story is set in Boston and follows two flawed but likable characters. Rory (Matt Damon) is a divorced dad and ex-Marine who owes a specific amount in child support payments. Until he raises the funds, he can’t see his son. Cobby (Casey Affleck) Is a sharp-tongued ex-con on probation. Desperate, the two are hired by associate Scalvo (Jack Harlow) to help with a robbery. On election night, they must sneak into the headquarters of corrupt Mayor Miccelli (Ron Perlman) and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in “payments” from his safe. Everything about the plan goes completely sideways, but they do end up in possession of an important bracelet. The two end up on the run, seeking assistance from Rory’s therapist Dr. Donna Rivera (Hong Chau) while being pursued by Special Ops agent Frank Toomey (Ving Rhames), a government official (Toby Jones), as well as the minds behind the original heist (Michael Stuhlbarg and Alfred Molina) and their henchman (Paul Walter Hauser).
There are many familiar faces in this story and early on, when events are set specifically on very different strangers Rory and Cobby trying to get along and complete their assignment with everything working against them, there are some laughs. As one might expect, Damon and Affleck share good rapport and their bickering about whether there is a guard in the back of an armored car works quite well. The offhanded comments about drinking warm beer and other irksome issues also come off in an amusingly naturalistic manner. Additionally, a running joke from many characters about escaping their troubles and sneaking off to Montreal is effective.
The film features some impressively shot car chases as well. There are a couple of vehicle pursuits through the tight streets of Boston that are fun to watch. One involving a pursuit between two very large vehicles bouncing through the city is nicely photographed and dynamically edited.
Yet, while sections are enjoyable, just as many aren’t convincing. The film has many characters and with a relatively brief running time of just over 90 minutes (without credits), it has difficulty focusing its attention. The “kidnapping” of the therapist is only a small portion of the story and doesn’t come across in a believable manner. There’s only one scene between Rory and Dr. Rivera beforehand, so it’s strange to see her agreeable to helping the pair out and making quips in the middle of a chase. One expects some level of exaggeration in the proceedings, but this plot device never quite suspends disbelief.
A significant amount of time is spent developing the less-than-brilliant minds behind the original heist too. They’re interesting, but leave the proceedings midway through (you’ll have to wait until the credits to learn more about them). Overall, one gets the impression that far more material was shot than used in what was likely a pared down final cut. A lot of interesting ideas and people are introduced, but aren’t given enough time to make an impression. Even the finale comes across as hurried and less effective than it should have been.
It’s fun seeing all of the stars on screen together and it’s relatively enjoyable. But all the jumping around in the story makes everything appear increasingly unlikely, lessening its dramatic impact. The Instigators certainly starts off well and initiates a scenario with plenty of comedic (and even dramatic) potential, but all these great elements don’t gel in the end and the bounty isn’t as big as hoped for.