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The Instigators

  • 2024
  • R
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
38K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,338
182
Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in The Instigators (2024)
Follows two robbers who must go on the run with the help of one of their therapists after a theft doesn't go as planned.
Play trailer2:22
8 Videos
27 Photos
Buddy ComedyCaperActionComedyCrimeDramaMysteryThriller

Follows two robbers who must go on the run with the help of one of their therapists after a theft doesn't go as planned.Follows two robbers who must go on the run with the help of one of their therapists after a theft doesn't go as planned.Follows two robbers who must go on the run with the help of one of their therapists after a theft doesn't go as planned.

  • Director
    • Doug Liman
  • Writers
    • Chuck MacLean
    • Casey Affleck
  • Stars
    • Matt Damon
    • Casey Affleck
    • Hong Chau
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    38K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,338
    182
    • Director
      • Doug Liman
    • Writers
      • Chuck MacLean
      • Casey Affleck
    • Stars
      • Matt Damon
      • Casey Affleck
      • Hong Chau
    • 170User reviews
    • 91Critic reviews
    • 48Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos8

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:22
    Official Trailer
    The Instigators
    Trailer 2:18
    The Instigators
    The Instigators
    Trailer 2:18
    The Instigators
    The Instigators: Car Chase
    Clip 1:23
    The Instigators: Car Chase
    The Instigators: Taking Notes
    Clip 1:52
    The Instigators: Taking Notes
    The Instigators: You're A Doctor
    Clip 1:17
    The Instigators: You're A Doctor
    The Instigators: Anybody In There?
    Clip 0:58
    The Instigators: Anybody In There?

    Photos26

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Matt Damon
    Matt Damon
    • Rory
    Casey Affleck
    Casey Affleck
    • Cobby
    Hong Chau
    Hong Chau
    • Dr. Donna Rivera
    Jack Harlow
    Jack Harlow
    • Scalvo
    Michael Stuhlbarg
    Michael Stuhlbarg
    • Mr. Besegai
    Alfred Molina
    Alfred Molina
    • Richie Dechico
    Owen Earls
    Owen Earls
    • Charlie Haggerty
    Natalie Carter
    Natalie Carter
    • Mrs. Haggerty
    Walter Liebman
    • Terry
    • (as Walter Terry Liebman)
    André De Shields
    André De Shields
    • Mr. Kelly
    Ron Perlman
    Ron Perlman
    • Mayor Miccelli
    Rob Gronkowski
    Rob Gronkowski
    • Rob Gronkowski
    Toby Jones
    Toby Jones
    • Attorney Alan Flynn
    Slate Holmgren
    Slate Holmgren
    • Dave Wedge
    Ronnie Cho
    Ronnie Cho
    • Mark Choi
    Sheika Murray
    • Waiter #1 at Wharf
    Perry Strong
    Perry Strong
    • Waiter #2 at Wharf
    Nick Trice
    Nick Trice
    • City Hall Employee
    • Director
      • Doug Liman
    • Writers
      • Chuck MacLean
      • Casey Affleck
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews170

    6.238.3K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    8betsyjohnson-11817

    Much better than I was expecting

    This was funny, clever, unique, had great dialogue, sympathetic characters and overall very entertaining! I'm glad I ignored the negative reviews because I really enjoyed this. Affleck and Damon have good chemistry, they are believable as buddies. I thought the script was quite fun and delivered nicely. The secondary characters were subtly effective and well acted. Though it was highly improbable and far fetched in places, the twists made it fun. Even the vehicle chases were exciting. A certain degree of justice was provided especially for the guys walking in the woods in Canada without boots.
    7ash_dunn

    Lighthearted fun

    This is a lighthearted fun movie which doesn't take itself too seriously. Having watched the trailer a few weeks ago I was interested in seeing this. That said I am no Casey Affleck fan, but I have to say he was very good.

    This is one of those films where everything that could go wrong for the protagonists, does go wrong. I found myself chuckling at the ineptitude and misfortune of the main characters, and willing them on to achieve their goal. I also thought that psychiatrist played a great role in the film, at times dead pan, and at other times she was very funny.

    For me, this is a good old fashioned comedy crime caper and worth a look.
    7BoBo_Goal32

    Funny and well casted

    The score in IMDB was not so tempting to get me watching this movie, but the cast did. Matt Damon and Casey Affleck? Yeah...I'm in. It's not a brilliant movie but also not that predictable as you suppose it would. It has all the elements to create a fine heist comedy with two Imbeciles, but it stays in this level of harmless fun and no evolving to something more.

    What happens when a bunch of wrong guys are joining to rob the corrupted Bostonian mayor himself? Troubles. And the troubles get several funny and fun twists, for the movie to actually use its wide cast, for each and every mishap that both of main characters are encountering.

    Matt Damon is wearing his Bostonian accent and Casey Affleck stays the chill character, that he is always is, except probably in real life. They got such a rear cast as assisting chamoes almost and contain - Hong Chau, Ron Perlman, Toby Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina and even Ving Rhames - all in such small parts, but contributing in their own ways.

    Its not a complicated movie that takes us to a journey in the souls of two people that got into crime, though it has a psychological angle, it is just a movie about a job that got wrong and about corrupted people that makes the system stays corrupted, though again - a small taste and bite from those heavy items, that are running in the background for a movie that did his job and gave me a fun time. Without expecting it to be like that.
    6Jim_Screechy

    Entertaining

    There isn't too much to say about this one, so I won't go on too much. I think theres a lot to like and not much that you won't, though in fairness its certainly no blockbuster. Most of the good bits are given away in the trailer and said trailer unfortunately paints a picture of a movie far funnier than it actually is, but then trailers do tend to exaggerate don't they.

    The film is more humerous than funny. I did get a couple of laugh out loud moments, but only a couple. Most were moments that made me chuckle and appreciate the humour but not really laugh. There is good chemistry between the accomplished cast which works very well, and though I'd not say there were any stellar performances, the whole cast handled their roles competently. I think there really needed to be more for the cast to work with to give this one the 'Umph' it needed to raise the bar. Its ok but, for film that promises so much with such an accomplised cast, it needed a lot more.

    Its a heist film of course, and it is very much like 'Tower Heist' which also features Casey Affleck as well as Ben Stiller, Eddy Murphy, Matthew Broderick, and Alan Alder.

    The instigators takes a similarly light-hearted approach to the genre though, the back story is s little more sinsiter with Damon and Afflecks backstory being somewhat more grim. Still, this movie doesn't deliver or fulfill in the way Tower Heist does, and I think that may be because Affleck is really the only character with lines good enough to deliver the humerous aspect with any merit. The stoicism of Damons character does parry well with Affleck's but something is missing to completely deliver the experience I think they production is going for. I think the script probably needed a re-write, possibly with a fresh set of eyes to enhance the ideas on offer.

    The screen play is decent, nothing too complicated, and for the most part it works quite well. The meat of this movie is really coming from the characters and just falls a little short, even outside the humour.

    I will also say that I think the direction may have been a contributing factor to how this one played out negatively. The minimalist manner that seems to underscore much of the lines lacks the emphasis that was often needed... but thats just my opinion.

    Ok I said I wasn't going to go on and I've already done so more than intended. In a nutshell the film underdelivers, but is still a decent watch... which kinda goes to show what could have been, which is even more unfortunate.

    6/10 from me.
    8Kronenbourg16

    Low aspiration, high execution.

    Just a good traditional movie. And I'm so grateful for that.

    There are no inserted characters into this film. There is no political statement in this film. There are no incompetent actors or directing or writing in this film. It's just a good film.

    It doesn't try to do a whole lot. It's a character-driven heist drama. It achieves what it sets out to. With developed characters, good dialogue, a decent script and competent cinematography.

    There is also very minimal CGI. You know that the locations, for the most part, are real.

    It won't be in anyones top 10 movies of all time, but for the present year, and all of the rubbish we're shovel-fed, this is very refreshing.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      There is a mid-credits scene.
    • Goofs
      During the car chase scene, the airbags in the BMW repeatedly appear and disappear through the scene.
    • Quotes

      Cobby: Wow, look at all those negotiators over there. Looks like they're ready to make a deal.

    • Crazy credits
      SPOILER: After the main on end credits, there is a very brief scene wrapping up the plot line of Michael Stuhlbarg and Alfred Molina.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 956: The Instigators (2024)
    • Soundtracks
      Shout It Out Loud
      Written by Robert Ezrin (as Bob Ezrin), Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley

      Performed by KISS

      Courtesy of Island Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 9, 2024 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Incitadores
    • Filming locations
      • Larry's Pub - 156 Rockaway Avenue, Valley Stream, New York, USA(Malachy's Saloon interior)
    • Production companies
      • Apple Original Films
      • Apple Studios
      • Apple TV+
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,098
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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