The Accountant Has A Lot Going For It But Never Quite Adds Up

The Accountant requires viewers to set aside reality for pure entertainment. But if you are able to ignore the plot holes, the strange interpretation of autism, and the general rationalization of most of the characters, the film is a lot of fun. Ben Affleck is an exceptional actor, even though there are many film fans who remain unconvinced. He may not hold the same critically acclaimed status of his childhood buddy, Matt Damon, but the man knows what he is doing behind and in front of the camera.

In the past, Affleck gravitated toward the chatty roles. Many of which came from his other buddy Kevin Smith. But in recent years Affleck has taken on more stoic characters such as Nick Dunne from Gone Girl and Bruce Wayne in Batman vs Superman. The Accountant is another film in which Affleck says little with words and instead uses his combat skills to do the talking.

Review: The Accountant

Affleck plays Christian Wolff, the titular accountant who has an exceptional mind for numbers. His flaw is that he is unable to connect to people in any way. Wolff is on the autism spectrum, though the filmmaker’s interpretation of how autistic people act appears basic at best. Rather than being specific on where Wolff is on the spectrum or what his specific issues entail, the character seems to just exhibit a grab bag of idiosyncrasies. All spread across different levels of autistic people.

Furthermore, it appears that his inability to connect with people is exactly why he makes a perfect assassin. Some may take offense to this. If we ignore this major issue with the film, it is hard not to be entertained.

Anna Kendrick does her part as a helpful accounting clerk who discovers the discrepancies between her clients and the books that have clearly been cooked. This is when Christian's skilled assassin skills come into play, since he is dealing with some bad dudes.  His more physical job explains why an accountant has the body of Batman.

Final Thoughts on The Accountant

There are plenty of thrilling moments in The Accountant. And, if you ignore all of the plot holes, and just kick back for the ride, there is a lot to enjoy. One of the issues with the film is that as good of an actor as Ben Affleck is, he tends to falter during critical moments. Such as when his character is supposed to be going through a whirlwind of emotions without ever expressing them. Affleck has the expressing part down, the man does a great stage cry, but subtle emotions are often the problem.

Some actors, Matt Damon included, have an ability to say so much with the twitch of a cheek or eyes that allude to everything that is not spoken. Affleck’s best moments in the film are when he is being a badass. He is a big guy who has a commanding presence. Making him an ideal assassin or tough guy in general. The Accountant is a good time but it never quite adds up.