The US Treasury Department is searching for a man who is the accountant to several global crime figures. They know him simply as The Accountant. The man himself is living a fairly inconspicuous existence as a practicing accountant. He is hired by Living Robotics, a tech firm, to go through their accounts after a junior accountant found some abnormalities. What he finds makes him a marked man. Christian Wolff, only the latest alias he has used over the course of his life, owns and operates his own small accounting firm in Plainfield, Illinois. He is a high level autistic, who is able to control his need for strict order, routine, and the completion of tasks, and his natural inability to tolerate extreme external stimuli, through medication and a daily regimen designed to withstand such. His father, an Army colonel, made him and his younger brother, one of the few people to who he has always had a natural affinity, go through extreme physical and mental training, such as in the martial arts, when they were children so that they could defend themselves against any bullying specifically against Chris. Chris is also a savant when it comes to numbers, mathematics and spotting discrepancies in order. While Chris does have some legitimate accounting clients in Plainfield, his storefront is largely just a cover for how he makes most of his wealth - which is vast - as a forensic accounting consultant, usually to criminal organizations who are looking for any internal discrepancies i.e. if anyone on the inside is skimming off the top. On the advice of his unseen female associate, with who he communicates solely via electronic means, Chris takes a legitimate consulting job with Living Robotics, founded and still owned and run by Lamar Blackburn and his sister Rita, when one of their low level accountants, Dana Cummings, notices what she believes are some discrepancies in the company's financials over the course of years. Unknown to Chris when he accepts this job, he taking it places his and Dana's lives in jeopardy, she another of those few people in life to who he has a natural affinity which may not be obvious on the surface due to his difficulty in social interaction. Upon learning that his and Dana's lives are at risk, Chris decides his self-appointed mission, against his regimen and routine, is to protect Dana at all cost, and figuratively - or literally if the opportunity arises - to put a bullet through the head of whoever has contracted the hit on them. Added to the complication of the situation is that Ray King, the highly successful director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) at the Treasury Department, has assigned his most talented analyst Marybeth Medina to track down the man coined The Accountant who is known to work for crime organizations, the only real lead being The Accountant's photographs - none with a clear face shot - with known crime bosses, and another former alias used, Louis Carroll. King is clear that Medina's career is on the line if she is unsuccessful. While this assignment is outwardly working toward the goals of FinCEN, King has ulterior motives for wanting Medina specifically to track down The Accountant which he does not tell her. I think by far one of the best movies I watched this year!<br/><br/>The moment I watched the trailer I was drawn to watch the movie. Ben Affleck is a chameleon, he highly intelligible & convincing as a math savant with merciless military skills and an odd sense of humor. <br/><br/>I love the look of the film. It had a certain geometry in the way it was set and shot. Also, I love a movie where it keeps your mind pacing about the 'what'',who' & 'how'.<br/><br/>Jon Bernthal was an unexpected delight to see on the big screen. I think he held his own in a movie that was completely fixated upon Affleck's character. Though I would have loved to see a bit more of the brother's dynamic.<br/><br/>Overall, the movie is a must watch. Though it's mainly a drama I think it has an all round feel for some thriller, action and moments of comedic relief (yes, I haven't forgotten the quirky Anna Kendrick). Ben Affleck's had a resurgence in his career as of late, mostly through his directional efforts. Here we have a thorough performance of a high functioning accountant with autism, who also happens to be skilled combatant and marksman. The plausibility of such a character existing may be up in the air but it doesn't deride the entertainment that the film provides. I've been told by a few sources that his portrayal of a person with autism is consistent with behaviors on the autism spectrum disorder. This is a character type that we do not see often in cinema so its nice to have a hero of the sort.<br/><br/>The film offers math lingo and if you are like me, its easy to have your mind wander. However, the film makes up for it with sleek action, characterization, and a sense of thrill throughout. Jon Bernthal may as well be typecast as the bad guy we love to hate because he plays it very well. JK Simmons and Lithgow are available in doses although in a lighter aspect as the film revolves around the lead character's plight, as he is being hunted down by multiple sources. The film offers a good time with action that isn't in your face but sufficient and present when you need it.<br/><br/>Anna Kendrick keeps the film grounded and real. She's the character we identify with if we can't do it with Affleck's Christian. She has her regular awkward nature, but this role is slightly more subdued in the humor to fit the tone of the film. She's still great though. Not sure on the chemistry she had with Affleck but it works from a professional standpoint. Also, seeing as Affleck's character is supposed to have disengaged social interactions, it probably makes sense. Parts of the final act are a bit too convenient and I can't say the twists and thrills always feel organic, however the film still offers a fun times. I think ultimately the film is a solid action film disguised inside of a smart and technical world of accounting and embezzlement. Its certainly a step up from what we've seen previously from Gavin O' Connor. He's bounced back from a truly terrible Jane Got a Gun and may even have a franchise on his hands, if that's what the public want.<br/><br/>7/10 Seemingly primed to deliver daffy thrills, The Accountant instead goes about its noble-killer business with all the excitement of an IRS audit.
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292 weeks ago