So Apple has another star-led expensive film that hasn’t been promoted well to the general public. One good thing, though, is that at least the film had a little time in the movie theater for those of us who enjoy that way of watching movies to do so. That being said, I didn’t see this film there; I saw how most people would see it through an Apple device in my home. As I’ve gotten too wordy and carried away as it is, I’m talking about the film The Instigators, by director Doug Liman and starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, along with Hong Chau and Ving Rhames. Damon stars as former Marine mechanic Rory, who’s having a rough time currently with ex-wife and son. He’s missed a lot and needs to contribute more financially, putting him in a bind while he’s at his regular visit with his Veteran Psychiatrist, Dr. Donna Rivera (Chau).
Meanwhile, a near do well Cobby (Affleck) is trying to do well after returning from prison. The thing is, he needs some money, too. This brings these two in contact through a job planned by Mr. Besegai (Michael Stuhlbarg) and Richie Dechico (Alfred Molina) to rob Mayor Miccelli (Ron Perlman) on the night of the election. They use a local goon, Scalvo (Jack Harlow), to get some guys to do it. Things go very wrong, and Rory and Cobby, two guys who meet doing the job, now have to try and survive an onslaught of cops and goons trying to get to them for what happened with the Mayor.
In this action-comedy/heist/old couple/buddy film, we have two people who, of course, don’t really like each other and get on each other’s nerves but must stay together to get through it all. We have Rory, a regular non-criminal, put into this wild criminal situation, completely messing things up but still capable. He’s out of his depth, but Damon’s performance is usually hilarious. Affleck’s Cobby is the wise-cracking street, witty know-it-all who would be annoying if he didn’t always get hurt, like Daffy Duck in Duck Amuck the whole film. Liman keeps a rapid and light pace with his comedy. While it feels like nothing new, Damon and Affleck work together very well. It helps when your older brother’s best friend already knows and has worked with you for years, I guess. While this film is clearly a big Boston movie with only Damon and Affleck using those accents heavily, it just feels like a story happening in the north of the US. Pearlman does try to add on an accent that works, but he’s also having a blast being an over-the-top, crooked politician. Toby Jones plays his lawyer, Alan Flynn, and he is also quite funny for the little bit of the film he’s in.
Jack Harlow, who most people over thirty-five might not know, is in it but also isn’t doing much more than just being his Harlow self, which I think works better currently in movies than in rap, but that’s an entirely different discussion. Paul Walter Hauser steals some scenes as Booch, another goon sent after our duo to get a particular item. Ving Rhames works the best as this unescapable force of the police officer is sent out by the Mayor. He’s cool the entire time, and to use another Looney Tunes reference, he’s like the Sheep Dog that is always unbothered by those around him. The filmmaking isn’t impressive, and while I like watching films on a large screen, this film works on a TV or maybe a laptop screen. This is the second film release from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Artists Equity that I’ve seen, and I liked it even if it wasn’t as amazing as Air. I don’t know why it’s called The Instigators, but it was an enjoyable movie to watch after work, and I think that will work for most.
Score: B
