The Instigators

• Crime
• Comedy

A darkly comedic heist film unfolding in the backdrop of a contentious Boston mayoral election, *The Instigators* distinguishes itself not through intricate plotting, but through the chaotic, almost accidental partnership between a rule-following therapist and a volatile, impulsive criminal. Their botched robbery isn’t the beginning of a slick operation, but a descent into increasingly absurd circumstances – evading authorities, navigating bureaucratic nightmares, and incurring the wrath of a surprisingly sensitive crime boss. The film thrives on the escalating desperation and unlikely camaraderie born from shared misfortune, leaning into blasphemous humor and a refreshing rejection of typical heist genre tropes. What begins as a criminal endeavor becomes a strangely heartwarming and exasperating exploration of how two fundamentally different people find a bizarre equilibrium while on the run, perpetually one step behind—and often misunderstanding—the forces arrayed against them.