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The Instigators

R Now Playing 1h 41m Action Comedy Crime Mystery & Thriller TRAILER for The Instigators: Trailer 1 List
42% Tomatometer 117 Reviews 67% Audience Score Fewer than 50 Verified 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. Read More Read Less
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The Instigators

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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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Critics Reviews

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Alissa Wilkinson New York Times So if the plot of “The Instigators” kind of goes nowhere, its characters give it the feel of a hangout movie with some added shootouts and car chases and a few well-timed explosions. And that, at least, is wicked good. Aug 9, 2024 Full Review John Powers NPR Back in the 1970s, The Instigators would probably have been the second or third best movie coming out on any given week. In 2024, it’s Hollywood’s best movie this month, at least for viewers who don’t marvel at Marvel. Aug 9, 2024 Full Review A.A. Dowd IGN Movies Director Doug Liman brings a certain discount Steven Soderbergh energy to the action, but the perennially laidback quality begins to seem like more of a liability than a merit. Rated: 6/10 Aug 9, 2024 Full Review Rohan Naahar The Indian Express Alfred Molina and Toby Jones essentially show up for one-scene roles, proving once again that if Apple’s pockets were any deeper, James Cameron would probably plan an expedition to explore them. Aug 11, 2024 Full Review John Urbancich JMuvies You won't find a better cast than the one in a Doug Liman film with some funny moments but just too many outrageous ones to carry it to fruition. Rated: 2.5/5 Aug 10, 2024 Full Review Luis Martínez El Mundo (Spain) Unfocused, imprecise and with so little grace. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 2/5 Aug 9, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (54) audience 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 chris f Poor storyline and poor acting . Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review Michael N A terrible movie. A friend and I sat down to watch it and after only about 1/2 hour we both said "Lets watch something else, this is dumb". Every line, every action was silly and dumb. Then there are the embedded commercials, like for Lite beer where one actor as he's talking carefully turns the can around so the camera can see it better, and the Tito's Vodka also. Matt Damon, I'm ashamed at you taking paycheck for this tripe, it hurts your career, or, don't you care anymore? Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review diane s Nothing I haven't seen a hundred times before. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/11/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

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
The Walsh Company, Studio 8, Artists Equity, Apple Original Films
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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