CALLERI: ‘The Instigators’ delivers a caper comedy with a twist (2024)

What if they made a heist movie, but there isn’t any heist?

That’s the oddball, albeit very interesting premise, of “The Instigators,” a new caper comedy that unreeled in a handful of movie theaters across the country last week and is now playing on the Apple TV+ streaming service.

In this new era of motion picture exhibition, studios and streaming platforms drop films into theaters for a brief period because they want them to qualify for the Academy Awards. Many of these features haven’t got a prayer of winning an Oscar, but it’s a fun game of cinematic whack-a-mole for those who enjoy participating.

The odds of “The Instigators” receiving an Academy Award are slim; however, that doesn’t mean you should dismiss the movie. More often than not, familiarity breeds contempt, but in the case of what I’m calling a non-heist heist adventure, familiarity breeds enjoyment. There are definitely some pleasures to be found. In fact, there’s a performance that is so entertaining that it should encourage you to talk about what’s been missing from so many comic book films these days. The answer is genuine personality regarding both an actor and the character he’s playing.

The good news? Not only is there one leading role that is noteworthy, but we also have a secondary role – that of a psychiatrist, which also brings luster to the proceedings. In essence, what we’ve got is an anti-heist movie that’s pro-psychiatry.

How did we get to this point? Heist movies should be fun. There are hundreds upon hundreds of them, but I’m going to send you to three you may not have seen. The original “The Italian Job” from 1969 is one of my favorites. The story revolves around the planned theft of gold bullion being transported in Turin, Italy. This is a British film, and it has all the witty and easy-going verve that the English delivered in their movies of the Swinging London era. The focus is on Charlie, a thief played by Michael Caine with all the relaxed energy he became famous for delivering. Directed by Peter Collinson, Charlie is the mastermind of the caper that includes the use of Mini Cooper automobiles. The 2003 American remake is good, but the British charmer is special.

Next up is another British robbery delight, 2008’s “The Bank Job,” which stars Jason Statham and is directed by Roger Donaldson. It focuses on a bank’s safety deposit boxes and a secret involving a member of the British Royal family. The third feature in this trio is “Small Time Crooks, a 2000 American crime comedy written and directed by Woody Allen and starring him, Hugh Grant, Elaine May, and Tracy Ullman. The quite clever caper includes a bank robbery scheme and delicious cookies from a surprisingly successful bakery. All three of the choices are available on DVD and Blu-ray and through streaming.

In “The Instigators,” Matt Damon plays Rory, an older divorced father with children he rarely sees, who is down on his luck. He knows a guy who knows a guy, and he’s quickly attached to a scheme to rob illegal payments made to the mayor of Boston (acted by Ron Perlman). The heist is planned for election night. The corrupt long-time mayor will be receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash that evening for favors rendered or soon-to-be-rendered. The question is asked: But what if he doesn’t win re-election?

Rory’s partner in the planned heist is Cobby, a younger fellow with a sarcastic streak that elevates Chuck Maclean and Casey Affleck’s streetwise screenplay to welcome levels of laughter borne out of dialogue and character. Affleck, himself, plays Cobby, and he’s terrific. His jaundiced, whip-sharp, nihilistic line-readings are often hilarious, and he helps boost the movie to the finish line.

The heist is mapped out at the very start of the film, and it involves some devious Boston thugs and greedy henchmen. Actors such as Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Jack Harlow, and Paul Walter Hauser play characters conniving for their piece of the pie. The scenes build to what is expected to be the main heist.

As I wrote above, forget the premise. I won’t tell you exactly what happens, but the tables are turned. In fact, the main table gets flipped over. No heist. This is near the start of the story. Of course, now there’s practically an entire movie to fill.

What happens quite quickly on election night results in Rory and Cobby being afraid for their lives, and on the run. The mayor and his goons want blood. A gold bracelet important to His Honor becomes the focus of the action. The criminal Boston brains behind the heist, one of whom is a local baker, want more blood. A menacing cop in on the chase, played by Ving Rhames, knows whose blood he needs to spill, if needed. He’s a low-talker who drives a thunderous street machine during the hunt for the bracelet and desires retribution.

Along for the ride is Rory’s psychiatrist, Dr. Donna Rivera, who is wonderfully acted by Hong Chau. She’s the calm in all of the chaos. The scenes involving this mellow therapist are unique, and they truly upend all previous incarnations of the personality and perspective of motion picture psychiatrists I’ve seen. Her verbal byplay with Cobby is comic gold.

“The Instigators” is directed by Doug Liman, whose association with Matt Damon began with “The Bourne Identity” more than 20 years ago. It’s obvious that they make an excellent team. The production values are good and the primary automobile chase is solid. Petula Clark’s “Downtown” provides a nice musical backdrop for the speeding and crashing cars.

The acting throughout the film is crisp. There’s a camaraderie among the cast that hints at fast scene set-ups and a low budget. The feature clocks in at only 101 minutes, which is perfect for what’s on-screen. The action never flags.

Rory and Cobby are two complete strangers, who are thrown together for the score of a lifetime. Details matter. Surprises happen. The enjoyment for moviegoers is watching everyone try to get out of the trap they’re in for a heist that didn’t happen.

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