Apple TV+; Cert 15A Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in 'The Instigators' On paper, The Instigators sounds like a hit. Doug Liman’s pricey caper comes with a stellar cast and a goofy set-up, the kind that’s usually fun to play along with. What, you may wonder, is the problem? A shambolic follow-through, for a start.
Think too much about the plot and your brain will start to hurt. Something about a couple of blue-collar thieves – a depressed ex-marine (Matt Damon, who also co-produces) and an alcoholic ex-con (Casey Affleck, who co-produces and co-writes) – hired by some clownish businessmen (Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina), to rob a Boston’s mayor’s dodgy campaign money. Obviously, the heist goes sideways, and Damon’s Rory and Affleck’s Cobby wind up on the run with a therapist hostage (Hong Chau).
Does any of it make sense? Nope. Does it matter? Sort of. Listen carefully, and you can just about hear a decent film bursting to break free from whatever’s happening here.
Nice performances and all, but The Instigators is a bit too loose, a bit too casual, and this surprisingly ineffective comedy looks as if it’s making things up as it goes along. Damon is better than this. Two stars Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.