The Instigators | Rotten Tomatoes (original) (raw)

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Yusuf N Casey Affleck is a gem and his deadpan lines were just delightfully droll! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/10/24 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Paul S Pretty much the textbook example of just ok. Not good but not terrible. Would I recommend it to anyone ? No. Would I tell anyone not to watch it ? Also no. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/24/24 Full Review Andy B I felt compelled to rate due to how badly the critics missed on it. It is a genuinely fun, laugh out loud funny, clever enough heist comedy with excellent performances throughout. Casey Affleck in particular carries the lion share of the comedic work. If you've enjoyed any of his work or SNL episodes, you'll love this. I'm normally in directional agreement with RT scores, but this is so far off that I have to yell loudly to IGNORE THE CRITICS AND WATCH THE FILM. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/23/24 Full Review Cort C The plot isn't the main point but more of a vehicle. There are great moments of dialogue, especially seemingly small moments when characters are talking over one another. The reasons why characters act the way they do because of where they each came from and how they all fit together in this story is fun and creative and the director and editors do a good job of leaving out extra scenes or dialogue that doesn't support the thematic conclusion. For example what is an 851? More importantly, we do not know the details that lead to the denouement last scene because either way the character needed to end up right where he did to have the conclusion that fit just right. More info would have spoiled the scene, either way. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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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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