“The Instigators” hit AppleTV+ in August and while it isn’t necessarily a great film, it is funny enough to be worth a watch.
Starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck as two boneheaded thugs tasked with robbing the mayor of Boston (Ron Perlman), “The Instigators” is more of a comedy of errors than serious heist or even moderate gangster movie. The story is one of those that is so silly and unbelievable that it is instantly forgettable. But you’ll remember laughing, particularly at Affleck.
When most people think of Casey Affleck, they think of his brother, Ben. Both are incredibly serious actors who happen to have great comic timing. I just didn’t realize how great the younger Affleck’s humor and delivery is until now, so hopefully we’ll see more of that in future projects. (RELATED: ‘Slingshot’ Will Give All Your Favorite Space Movies A Run For Their Money)
I was ready for Jack Harlow to be a particularly terrible actor but it seemed like the unhinged script suited his talents perfectly. With Hong Chau, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina and even Rob Gronkowski in tow, you’d have thought the writing would be a little better overall.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 31: Jack Harlow attends Apple Original Films’ “The Instigators” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on July 31, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 31: (L-R) Matt Damon, Hong Chau, and Casey Affleck attend Apple Original Films’ “The Instigators” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on July 31, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
DORAL, FLORIDA – JULY 29: Matt Damon and Casey Affleck visit “La Voz de la Mañana” to promote their upcoming Apple TV+ film “The Instigators” at Univision Studios on July 29, 2024 in Doral, Florida. (Photo by Manny Hernandez/Wireimage)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA – JULY 29: Matt Damon and Casey Affleck are seen in Miami to promote the Apple TV movie “The Instigators” at Faena Hotel Miami Beach on July 29, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Apple)
Instead, it felt like a teenager’s attempt to make a heist movie starring a whole host of A-listers where the kid forgot to cut entire storylines out of the final edit. Also, it felt like characters were added just for forced one-liners, and after all that, I still couldn’t tell you what the heck it was really about. But I know it was a great way to kill some time. (RELATED: Met Gala Proves Celebrities Are Becoming Pointless And Stupid … Except For Jack Harlow)
5 out of 10 — I have no feelings other than gratitude for the escapism. Oh, and I hope Affleck and Harlow do another movie together. Damon can be in it too if he wants.
