The Instigators

It's a good Sunday afternoon feet up watch. Grab your snacks & enjoy.

Starts a touch slow but builds. All the actors do their job.

The biggest selling point for this film, is that, it is an actual original non-condensing fun film made for adults. And these days that's very rare. No remake, gender role reversal, super hero, victim chic in sight.

The film isn't going to pull up trees. The script & direction/editing could have been better, but it is a solid 6.8 & as such it's enjoyable.

There's not much more to say without sounding pretentious.

This film is for popcorn & relaxation. The purpose of this film is at the heart of why movies are made; simply to entertain.

In superbly cast blockbuster buddy heist caper "The Instigators" stoic Matt Damon & carefree Casey Affleck are mis-matched strangers hired (by Michael Stuhlbarg (terrific) with Alfred Molina) to rob Boston's crooked mayor Ron Perlman (with lawyer Toby Jones) - but when things go badly wrong the duo are forced on the run (assisted by Damon's shrink Hong Chau) from the likes of Paul Walter Hauser (underused) & Ving Rhames. Director Doug Liman applies the requisite polish, and the screenplay from Affleck & debutant Chuck MacLean keeps events moving at a jaunty pace. It's not world-beating or world-changing, but it sure is entertaining. Recommended.

Matt Damon plays the straight serious character here to foil Affleck's funny guy. The two are hired to complete a heist.

Mishaps follow with lots of humor. It was a fun filled adventure that ends well - don't forget to watch all the way to the end!

Damon plays the sad, divorced, PTSD-suffering dad who finds it hard to smile. His role is well done but is there to provide Affleck the humorous one liners.

The bad guy mayor is also well done and provides your typical corrupt politician to root against.

Affleck starts slow but becomes a favorite and grows on you as a character.

The therapist is a bit of ridiculousness that is a fun twist.

If you want a fun movie to enjoy a Saturday afternoon, and you like a bit of action, crashes, explosions, this is your movie.

One thing I love about modern day technology, is that films are a lot cheaper to make. No longer mega studios have to make a movie based on a formula to engage as many audience as possible .

You can tell that this movie is a passion project. Yes, it still follows some typical heist film formula, but we who love heist movies basically know how everyone of these movies end. Still, it has some twists and turns, and even a slightly unexpected ending.

The comedy isn't laugh out loud, but there is plenty to make you smile. While tile The Instigators, isn't some original breakthrough, but neither is any movie put out by mega budget films.

The Instigators, at least has plenty of new themes to offer, we don't get bogged down by some needless romantic subplot. And it's in the end a satire poking fun at other heist films, and yet retains the intensity of what one is to expect from a caper.

Enjoy!

Love the incessant patter between Afleck and Damon - my dad's family hails from Boston and Peabody and the yabbering between the two sounded just like many a Thanksgiving. Really fun, lightweight caper that gets a lot of its pleasure from the two bickering. Man, those two brought me back home.

Great supporting cast and enough unforeseen twists to make it quite original. Not really for the family audience as they use the f-word like a preposition; often and in nearly every sentence. Very, very Boston...tender ears and delicate sensibilities may be easily offended.

If you can turn your brain off and go along with the ride, then it's highly recommended!