The Instigators

R

Released Aug 2

1h 41m

Action

Comedy

Crime

Mystery & Thriller

TRAILER

for

List

41%

Tomatometer

152 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to rob a corrupt politician's ill-gained earnings. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos, pursued not only by police but also by backward bureaucrats and vengeful crime bosses. Completely out of their depth, they convince Rory's therapist (Hong Chau) to join their riotous getaway through the city, where they must put aside their differences and work together to evade capture -- or worse.

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Critics Consensus

The alchemy of Casey Affleck and Matt Damon's knucklehead rapport provides some charm, but this laidback caper unravels due to a lack of intrigue and pulse.

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Robert Levin

Newsday

No matter how much heft the Actors Equity team brings to the project on both sides of the camera, there's simply no evading the fact that the movie plays as so inconsequential, so free of meaning and purpose, that it offers nothing to grab onto.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 13, 2024

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

It should be pulpy fun powered by car chases and zippy repartee, but The Instigators is a dispiriting and predictable drag of a movie.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 12, 2024

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Barry Hertz

Globe and Mail

Certainly, all the ingredients are here for a fun night in, from the absolutely killer cast to the familiar Damon/Affleck stomping grounds of Boston. But nothing quite clicks in this tale of charming low-life thieves.

Aug 12, 2024

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Rob Dean

Bullz-Eye.com

“The Instigators” is fun enough with a few strong scenes and funny lines, but it’s not especially memorable. It feels like that glut of mid-‘90s Tarantinoesque where they all became part of the same tableau

Rated: 3/5

Sep 13, 2024

Full Review

Mark Jackson

Epoch Times

“The Instigators,” about a bunch of incompetent robbers, features a stellar cast and director but fails to deliver a comedy pay-off.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 30, 2024

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Manuel Betancourt

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

This is a really listless thriller... It just trudges along to a very forgettable conclusion.

Aug 28, 2024

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Yusuf N

Casey Affleck is a gem and his deadpan lines were just delightfully droll!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

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dsh

Plot was ridiculous and implausible, script was terrible and the language was foul - constant f-bombs.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/04/24

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JimPalmer

It was interesting but its language was distracting and unnecessary. Have to wonder if the actors children are allowed to see this movie. No need for sentences of profanity.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/04/24

Full Review

Andrei D

Does not really find a rhythm but Damon and Affleck kinda work

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/18/24

Full Review

Steve P

Hilarious both Casey and Damon and actually the whole cast. A fun film

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/18/24

Full Review

Shawn

High production value and acting, of course. But, the story isn’t anything to keep the audience attention.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/17/24

Full Review

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Doug Liman

Director

Matt Damon

Rory

Casey Affleck

Cobby

Hong Chau

Actor

Michael Stuhlbarg

Actor

Paul Walter Hauser

Actor

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The Instigators: Exclusive Movie Clip - Car Chase

1:29

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The Instigators: Trailer 1

2:21

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Synopsis

Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to rob a corrupt politician's ill-gained earnings. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos, pursued not only by police but also by backward bureaucrats and vengeful crime bosses. Completely out of their depth, they convince Rory's therapist (Hong Chau) to join their riotous getaway through the city, where they must put aside their differences and work together to evade capture -- or worse.

Director: Doug Liman
Producer: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Kevin J. Walsh
Screenwriter: Chuck MacLean
Distributor: Apple TV+
Production Co: Apple TV+, The Walsh Company, Apple Original Films, Studio 8, Artists Equity, Apple Studios
Rating: R (Some Violence|Pervasive Language)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 2, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 9, 2024
Runtime: 1h 41m

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