Renowned actors Matt Damon and Casey Affleck sat down with Inside South Florida to discuss their latest comedy-heist film, “The Instigators,” shedding light on their characters, the production process, and the unique blend of humor and action that defines the movie.
When asked what resonated most with him about his character, Damon quipped, "I think the fact that Casey wrote a big comedy and gave me a part where I don't talk much and I don't smile." Affleck humorously interjected, "In the beginning, he had all the funny lines, and they just weren't landing."
The actors shared a laugh, showcasing the camaraderie that translated well on screen. "It just was a terrific script, and we started talking right away about how to get it up on its feet and make it,” Damon added. “We were really lucky. We went to Doug Liman to direct it. I had done 'The Bourne Identity' with him, but all of Doug's movies, like 'Swingers,' 'Go,' 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith,' and 'Edge of Tomorrow,' are just so great. The tone is so unique and so him, and we knew that's what we needed for this one."
Affleck, who not only starred in the film but also penned the script, reflected on their working relationship. "We have a pretty good working relationship, and he's a very easy person to work with. Matt has a great reputation. Anyone who has come across Matt says, 'Wow, he's such a nice guy, and he's really easy to work with.' There's some part of me that wants to be able to say I have a bad story about him, but I really don't. It goes a long way when you have a reputation like that. It means that people like Hong Chau are going to come work on your movie, that Doug jumps at the opportunity to direct the movie, and the rest of the cast, who are all fantastic and could be doing other things, all sign up largely because they think, 'Oh yeah, I know Matt. He's great. He's been in so many good movies. I met him. He's a nice guy.'"
Discussing their dual roles as actors and producers, Damon mentioned the support they had, "It was very, very easy. We had Kevin Walsh, Allison Winter, and also my wife all producing as well. So that definitely alleviated the burden for me. We did it through our company, Artists Equity, which was really exciting because we run production and get to make all the choices around production. We have this different economic model, which sees that our crew gets bonused out. So, it's a good deal for everybody."
Affleck added from a writer’s perspective, "As a writer, it was a great experience because there were so many other writers involved and people that are really smart and have made great movies. It was an opportunity to learn a lot. I didn't know anything about writing an action movie or a heist movie or even really a comedy… It was an education and at the same time a really fun experience."
When asked about the film itself, Damon teased, "It's really fun. It's fast, only 90 minutes, and it's a very fun ride, hopefully with a lot of laughs. It's about these two knuckleheads who get pulled into this heist. We did 'Oceans 11' together, and this is like the opposite of those guys. Heist movies are normally about people being really clever and knowing exactly what to do with everyone having a specialty. We're like the opposite. We're the D team, the guys you definitely wouldn't hire for the heist, but that's the fun of the movie."
Inside South Florida viewers had something exciting to look forward to with this unique blend of comedy and heist elements, promising an entertaining and refreshing cinematic experience. “The Instigators” is available on Apple TV+ this Friday.
