The Instigators Review: Matt Damon And Casey Affleck's Breezy Heist Comedy Leaves You Wanting More

Don't look now, but Matt Damon has become one of cinema's most exciting screen presences over the last decade or so. Having taken his leading-man looks and turned into a character actor's dream, he's figured out how to enjoy the best of both worlds. If Christopher Nolan, Steven Soderbergh, Ethan Coen, or any other prolific filmmaker has a buzzy, high-concept thriller in the works, you can almost set your watch based on Damon popping up in a brief supporting role or even a cameo late in the game — and, more often than not, it's as a scumbag villain meant to reinforce each film's themes. It takes a serious absence of ego to embrace this (relatively) unsexy phase of one's career, in which such thankless work might only ever win the affections of the Film Twitter crowd, dad-movie enthusiasts, and not much else. But it's a rare talent that can convincingly play each end of the spectrum, effortlessly sliding back into genuine movie-star mode when the need calls for it.

"The Instigators" is ostensibly a two-hander heist flick with both Damon and fellow Bostonian Casey Affleck sharing co-lead status, but make no mistake: It's the former's portrayal of a Marine-turned-civilian-turned-criminal at the end of his rope and in way over his head that leaves the biggest impression. For the first time in over 20 years, director Doug Liman finally reunites with his "The Bourne Identity" star in a film acknowledging the full weight of time. From the opening moments centered on a therapy session between Damon's divorced, suicidal Rory and Hong Chau's Dr. Donna Rivera, his weathered appearance and head full of grey hairs is on full display. In fact, it's Affleck's partner in crime Cobby who pointedly calls attention to this, practically reaching through the camera to reference Damon's wide-ranging acting trajectory as he quips: "A little late for a career change, isn't it?" For Rory, that comes in the form of a daring heist targeting corrupt politician Miccelli (Ron Perlman), the incumbent Boston mayor who's embroiled in a runoff election and refuses to leave office.

But don't let all that setup fool you. This breezy, fast-paced, and laugh-out-loud thrill ride takes all of 10 minutes to get from its impressively patient first scene with Rory to our introduction with the deadbeat drunk Cobby to the big planning sequence throwing both misfits together. This ultimately comes across as both a strength and a weakness, however. Damon carries much of the film through Rory's relentless drive to steal just enough money ($32,480, to be precise) to fix his broken family and see his estranged son again, while the snappy buddy-comedy dynamic with Affleck earns most of its laughs. Unfortunately, this also comes at the expense of undercutting much of the emotional heft that the script (credited to co-writers Chuck MacLean and Affleck) aims for, leaving one with the aftertaste of a movie that's solid enough ... but could've been so much more.

Despite all the lionization of Matt Damon above, this is far from a one-man show. "The Instigators" is a veritable buffet of supporting cast members, all of whom make the absolute most of their modest screen time. Singer/actor Jack Harlow is the first of the film's many attempts to steal the show, playing the ineffectual "brains" of the operation named Scalvo. Michael Stuhlbarg and Alfred Molina add a welcome dose of smarm and charm as the mid-level bosses forced to clean up the mess, along with Paul Walter Hauser as put-upon henchman Booch. Flanked by Toby Jones as his simpering sidekick (responsible for the single funniest sight gag in the entire movie), Perlman brings his villain to life with tacky perfection, playing him as if his sole direction were to channel an intimidating, oversized, mob-boss take on Donald Trump (though with far superior fashion sense). Even Chau gets an unexpectedly meaty role, swept along in Rory's misadventure and providing several impromptu therapy sessions at the funniest possible moments (which may call to mind Liman's similar framing device in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"). But at the end of the day, it's Ving Rhames' on-the-take cop Frank who walks away as MVP, dogging Rory and Cobby's every step as if he were a fedora-wearing Terminator.

The true appeal of "The Instigators," however, is the fact that it's the exact opposite of so-called "competence porn." When you put an amateur criminal with a loudmouth ex-convict (who drops wisecracks at an even more rapid clip than Deadpool himself), it's no surprise when everyone's best-laid plans go wrong almost absurdly quickly and the stakes only escalate from there. Look, any heist movie that has a main character literally take notes so he can remember to say, "I have a gun!" during a robbery can't be dismissed entirely. And, to his credit, Liman gets a heck of a lot of mileage out of precisely that sort of deadpan humor. One can imagine several hypothetical variations on this general premise, taking a page out of the well-worn "Ocean's Eleven" playbook or even 2021's underrated "No Sudden Move" (featuring a brilliant and uncredited surprise appearance by, you guessed it, Damon). That Soderbergh influence is certainly alive and well in Liman's latest, combining the propulsive energy of "Edge of Tomorrow" with the workmanlike efficiency of "Kimi" or "Logan Lucky."

But by the time the unmistakable Dunkin' Donuts product placement arrives and the action shifts to Fenway Park at one point for no apparent reason, well, you'll probably know exactly what kind of movie you're in for — and you won't want it any other way.

For much of its hour-and-45-minute runtime, viewers — a carefully-chosen term, since many will end up having to watch this on Apple TV+ rather than in theaters — may not even notice any glaring red flags. Liman excels at keeping the momentum going at a steady clip, even as the madcap plot occasionally makes time for a handful of quiet monologues and introspective moments. Cinematographer Henry Braham (reteaming with Liman after their work on the "Road House" remake) opts to shoot many conversational scenes in closeup, focusing on individual faces and adding an intimacy amid the action that plays exceptionally well on the big screen. As Rory and Cobby find themselves going from robbers to kidnappers to domestic terrorists in the eyes of the law, culminating with one bravura car chase (set to Petula Clark's "Downtown") that hearkens back to Liman and Damon's work on the first "Bourne" film, the emotional baggage haunting both characters helps keep us invested in a story that could be generously described as "thin." The main narrative thrust, such as it is, begins with the botched heist of Miccelli's illegal stash and eventually circles back to even more of his underhanded dealings. What any of this amounts to in the end, however, is anyone's guess.

Despite its slick sense of style and effortless control of tone, "The Instigators" may leave some feeling a little hollow by the final credits. There's a noticeable undercurrent of cynicism embedded deep in the film, though in a less incisive and more blasé fashion than someone of Soderbergh's caliber tends to infuse in his efforts. There's certainly something to be said for the depiction of corruption running rampant throughout every level of authority, from the Mayor and his too-good-to-be-true political opponent Mark Choi (Ronnie Cho) to hordes of trigger-happy cops constantly at each other's throats. But there's also something missing from this recurring theme, as if the script is pulling its punches in favor of emotional catharsis that it never quite earns.

That might not be a deal-breaker for some, won over by the movie's thrilling action sequences and wicked sense of humor. Others may come away slightly disappointed, denied a sleek and entertaining adult drama in favor of one that comes oh-so-close to hitting the target. In the end, "The Instigators" makes exceptional use of Damon, Affleck, and the rest of its impeccable roster. It's just a shame that even this cast can't make this add up to more than a movie that's, quite simply, the sum of its parts.

/Film Rating: 6 out of 10

"The Instigators" releases in limited theaters August 2, 2024, followed by its streaming debut August 9, 2024 on Apple TV+.