‘The Accountant’ Is Bourne Meets Batman | Film Review

Ben Affleck sure does love the absurd. Excluding his stellar directorial efforts, I cannot think of one single living actor with Ben’s intelligence, talent and charisma, who routinely takes on the most insane parts filmdom has to offer. Armageddon, Reindeer Games, Gone Girl, Daredevil, Batman, and now The Accountant – Ben Affleck continuously strives to be a bit more than your average man.

This time, Affleck plays Christian Wolff, a seemingly anti-social bean counter with a knack for bluntness. In truth, Wolff is a special brand of accounting wonder, an autistic with a beautiful mind who farms his services out to the highest bidder. When the largest criminal empires in the world need someone to cook their books, Wolff is their guy. Dipping your ink in this clientele is not without its risks, and thankfully Wolff was raised by his father to hone his disability and is now an expert marksman and ass-kicker, should any such complications arise. I’m not saying this is the same basic concept as Daredevil, but I sure as hell implied it.

Wolff takes on a legit job hunting down a massive discrepancy at an on-the-rise robotics company, and finds himself involved in a vast conspiracy. Everywhere he goes, numerous thugs – including Jon Bernthal as a Punisher for hire – want him dead, as well as Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick), the plucky young accountant who first discovered the error. If that weren’t enough, the Treasury Department’s Ray King (J.K. Simmons) has tasked his latest protégé to focus on one goal: find the accountant.

The plot of The Accountant is stretched so thin it’s approaching clear plastic, yet it mostly works within the confines of its structure. Is it ludicrous to imply that a person with a spectrum disorder could modify those traits to excel in other areas? Not really. There is enough science to corroborate that theory. Is it bonkers to assert a father’s tough love approach instead of treatment might mold an autistic ninja assassin? Hey, if amnesia victims and billionaire playboys can master the art, why not?

Nutty story aside, this is Affleck’s movie and he carried it with ease upon his now Rock-like shoulders. Embracing the tics and maddening intensity of a true autistic, Affleck demonstrates once again how he has honed his craft into a much more restrained, nuanced performance than he could have delivered a decade ago. This is an actor who no longer accepts being a weak link in any of his films, even generic action flicks. Much like best buddy Matt Damon showcased in his Jason Bourne films, Affleck refuses to allow Hollywood to place him back in their proverbial box.

Did I enjoy The Accountant? Aside from the preposterous story and one scene where Simmons’ King performs the longest unnecessary exposition scene in cinemas this year, mostly yes. Affleck’s embracing of the absurdity and respect to the character coupled with the visceral thrills stemming from director Gavin O’Connor’s action set-pieces blend together well enough to garner a recommendation, if even a slight one. Think of this one as more of a write-off.