The Instigators

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.

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.

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!

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.