Shadows on the Wall | The Instigators

The Instigators

dir Doug Liman
scr Chuck MacLean, Casey Affleck
prd Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Kevin J Walsh, Alison Winter
with Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Ron Perlman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ving Rhames, Paul Walter Hauser, Alfred Molina, Toby Jones, Jack Harlow, Scout Backus, Ronnie Cho
release US/UK 9.Aug.24
24/US Apple 1h42

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While it's directed on a large scale by Doug Liman, this action comedy keeps focus on scrappy characters in the wake of a disastrous heist. The humour is abrasive, as ostensibly tough guys bicker with each other right through messy shootouts, elaborately staged car chases and an amusing range of extended set-pieces. It's an enjoyable mix of edgy comedy and epic action, with an ensemble cast packed with expert scene-stealers.

Ex-marine Rory (Damon) knows he's to blame for messing up his life, so his therapist Donna (Chau) worries that he might be suicidal. Urgently needing cash, he takes a job from Boston gangster Mr B (Stuhlbarg), working alongside ex-con Cobby (Affleck) and hothead goon Scalvo (Harlow) to rob the corrupt mayor (Perlman) on election night. But of course things immediately go wrong, and now Rory and Cobby are on the run from a mob henchman Booch (Hauser) and the mayor's thuggish enforcer Frank (Rhames). And when things get desperate, Rory turns to Donna for help.

Machismo features in virtually every confrontation, as each man is gruffly determined to exert power over each other. The one with the biggest gun may control an encounter, but the tables are continually turning. Also in the mix is Mr B's partner Richie (Molina), the mayor's slippery assistant Alan (Jones) and Booch's chirpy sidekick (Backus). Meanwhile, Rory and Cobby find themselves in a series of madcap caper situations that require quick-thinking and usually end in an enormous explosion.

Amidst all this testosterone, Chau more than holds her own, adding a brainy undercurrent to her sharp dialog. And because she maintains her cool, she also gets most of the funniest lines. Damon and Affleck also get some terrific lower-intensity moments, very different men enjoyably grating against each other while recognising a kindred spirit in their shared runs of bad luck. Cobby is particularly annoyed that so many people are behaving like heroes.

A few plot wrinkles feel more than a little contrived, but an emotional undercurrent holds the interest, as does the sharp-edged humour that is laced through every scene. So while the script merely uses issues of post-traumatic stress, racism and criminality in superficial ways, the terrific extended ensemble manages to add some deeper resonance. But perhaps more importantly for most viewers, this is the kind of film that keeps us amiably entertained from start to finish.

themes, language, violence 31.Jul.24

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