The Instigators (15)

Low-level Boston crime boss Mr Besegai and bakery owner associate Richie Dechico plan to steal the backroom bribes of corrupt incumbent mayor Miccelli on election night. They hire a three-man team comprising Scalvo, alcoholic ex-con Cobby and former Marine and family man Rory to carefully infiltrate Miccelli's victory party and hijack a security van transporting the ill-gotten cash. Alas, the heist doesn't go to plan and Rory and Cobby go on the run.

LondonNet Film Review

The Instigators (15) Film Review from LondonNet

Low-level Boston crime boss Mr Besegai (Michael Stuhlbarg) and bakery owner associate Richie Dechico (Alfred Molina) plan to steal the backroom bribes of corrupt incumbent mayor Miccelli (Ron Perlman) on election night. They hire a three-man team comprising Scalvo (Jack Harlow), alcoholic ex-con Cobby (Casey Affleck) and former Marine and family man Rory (Matt Damon) to carefully infiltrate Miccelli’s victory party and hijack a security van transporting the ill-gotten cash…

Alas, the heist doesn’t go to plan and Rory and Cobby go on the run with hard-nosed cop Frank Toomey (Ving Rhames) in hot pursuit. Rory’s therapist Dr Donna Rivera (Hong Chau) is unwittingly dragged into the middle of the explosive caper and urges her patient to exercise caution. “You are driving recklessly,” she observes. “I’m in the middle of a high-speed car chase,” Rory responds as police cars with flashing red and blue lights screech and slalom around them.

The Instigators is a misfiring buddy comedy co-written by Chuck Maclean and Affleck, which reteams a subdued Damon with Bourne Identity director Doug Liman. Alas, lightning doesn’t strike twice, even with a frenetic action sequence on four wheels choreographed to Petula Clark’s Downtown shoehorned into a haphazard second act.

Damon’s debt-riddled father and Affleck’s motormouth are a bewildering odd couple, who occasionally grate on the nerves, while Chau is a delight as the quick-witted shrink, who seizes every opportunity to probe her patient’s feelings. My feelings about Liman’s picture are unequivocal: deep disappointment considering the calibre of talent behind and in front of the camera.

– Sarah Lee