Courtney Howard // Film Critic
THE INSTIGATORS
Rated R, 1 hour and 41 minutes
Directed by: Doug Liman
Starring: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Jack Harlow, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Ron Perlman, Toby Jones, Paul Walter Hauser, Ving Rhames
There’s nothing harmful or outright offensive in THE INSTIGATORS. AppleTV+’s action-dramedy is far too generic to ever inspire that kind of vitriol. It’s actually meant to be helpful for the filmmaking community as it’s a part of star Matt Damon’s Artist’s Equity initiative, which aims to give power and money back to those involved in film production. However, the film is so dull, lazy and uninventive that it’s insulting to audiences giving it any of their time – even if that might be while falling asleep on the couch. The story centered on two robbers left to fend for themselves after a heist goes pear-shaped is not only paint-by-numbers, but also an exercise in patience, taking too long for the plot to pick up any action. All it instigates is the frustration that you aren’t seeing a better film.
Bostonian ex-marine Rory (Damon) is in desperate need of cash. $32,480 to be exact. It’s the amount he needs to pay off accrued debts so he can go see his estranged teen son with a shred of dignity left intact. His therapist (Hong Chau) also detects he might be suicidal by the way he poorly expresses his feelings in their sessions. Through a mutual friend of ill repute, bakery owner Mr. Besegai (Michael Stuhlbarg), he’s hooked up with drunkard ex-con Cobby (Casey Affleck) and hot-tempered Scalvo (Jack Harlow) for an easy job, robbing crooked Mayor Miccelli’s (Ron Perlman) re-election night coffers filled with undeclared donations in the wee hours of the morning.
Yet, when the trio arrives at the location, the party is still going and all the donated funds have already been carted away. Their new, improvised plan gets a cop and Scalvo killed, leaving the bickering odd couple on the run from the entire Boston Police Department, Besegai’s boss Richie Dechico (Alfred Molina), and Miccelli’s goons led by special ops unit officer Frank (Ving Rhames). Making matters more dire, after being branded as cop killers, Cobby’s been shot and needs the bullet removed. With all these external forces pressing down on the pair, they’re forced to figure out how to evade arrest while trying to clear their names. And, unfortunately for us, none of the ensuing adventure holds a modicum of excitement or smarts.
There’s something to an action-comedy adventure where every character involved is a moron who’s exceptionally bad at their job. The Coen Brothers have the market cornered on this. However, director Doug Liman (GO, EDGE OF TOMORROW and the most recent ROAD HOUSE redo) and co-writers Affleck and Chuck MacLean have made these proceedings absolutely dry and joyless. With no jokes that elicit belly laughs, much less chuckles of acknowledgement, the picture flounders. Their banter is sub-par, at best, which is surprising given Damon and Affleck have been creative collaborators previously (GERRY), on top of having honed their razzing skills as friends. The overall energy is downplayed to the materials detriment. It needed to have a rowdy, raucous vibrancy and, sadly, that never manifests.
From the ugly, bulky I.D. bracelet with the combination to Miccelli’s safe etched on the back to the thoroughly predictable finale, we’re ahead of every detail before it occurs. Action sequences, like the BMW pursuit through downtown Boston set to Petula Clark’s “Downtown,” are poorly assembled, repeatedly cutting away from the action in and out of backseats, cop cars and helicopters, lacking a propulsive momentum. The dramatic stakes driving our two protagonists is barely given a motor – except for one that stalls by film’s end. Explosion sequences are supposed to be uproariously funny as the film’s Long Running Gag, only they come across as a repetitive affectation more than anything.
Cobby and Rory’s reasoning for turning to crime is told through expository dialogue, letting us infer they’re good people making bad decisions. But we’re never shown these qualities in their character development and, by film’s end, their reasons were ultimately pointless as they’re not resolved in any meaningful way. Supporting characters like Besegai, Dechico and Dechico’s doofy henchman Booch (Paul Walter Hauser) are forgotten by the second act (though stay tuned for an incredulous mid-credits coda for some closure). Performances from this impressive ensemble cast are wasted on the monotonous material. No one is able to make their work stand out in this sea of mediocrity.
It’s baffling that two Academy award winners and one capable director could produce such a lackluster offering. But here we are.
Grade: D
THE INSTIGATORS opens in select theaters on August 2. It begins streaming on AppleTV+ on August 9.
