What a busy year this is proving to be for Doug Liman. Barely midway through 2024, the director is preparing to launch his second film of the year – hot on the heels of his well-received Jake Gyllenhaal-starring Road House remake (which Liman was vocally unhappy about receiving a streaming-only release on Prime Video), he’s back with another streaming action-comedy led by a Hollywood A-lister. This time, his leading man is Matt Damon, and the film is Apple TV+’s The Instigators – a Boston-set crime comedy, in which two reluctant criminals (Damon and Casey Affleck) attempt a heist to take down a corrupt politician. Check out the trailer here:
Damon doing his full Boston accent? An ensemble boasting Hong Chau, Michael Stuhlbarg, Paul Walter Hauser, Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina and Ron Perlman? Some dependably muscular action sequences from Liman? All point to a promising summer streaming flick. And given that Apple TV+ is also behind the upcoming Clooney-and-Pitt-as-fixers crime-caper Wolfs, it’s another sign that big-name action-comedies are the name of the game for Apple’s film department right now. The Instigators is a family affair for Boston’s cinematic sons – partially penned by Casey Affleck (alongside Chuck Maclean), and with Ben Affleck producing alongside longtime friend and collaborator Damon.
Here’s the official synopsis: “Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to rob a corrupt politician's ill-gained earnings. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos, pursued not only by police but also by backward bureaucrats and vengeful crime bosses. Completely out of their depth, they convince Rory’s therapist (Hong Chau) to join their riotous getaway through the city, where they must put aside their differences and work together to evade capture — or worse.”
We’ll find out if The Instigators proves another hit for Liman post-Road House when it comes to (selected) cinemas and Apple TV+ on 9 August.