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    The Accountant

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    This is my second time seeing “The Accountant”. Knowing where the film was going and particularly, what the end was going to be, I kept an eye out, trying to find if the conclusion would still bother me like it did the first time. I also focussed my attention on the action of the film. Overall, I don’t think it’s a great thriller but it features interesting characters, good performances and plenty of excitement.

    Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a high-functioning autistic accountant, a man that’s exceptionally good at numbers and secretly making his living helping criminal organizations relocate missing funds. He’s also a crack shot and able to take down dozens of opponents single-handed. While investigating mismanaged funds as a CPA, he befriends fellow number cruncher Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick) When they begin getting close to the financial discrepancy, they become targets for assassination.

    The world of movies is changing. Franchises are the big thing and new technology, combined with a fear of taking chances means we are seeing a ton of sequels, prequels, and remakes. We are also seeing people, particularly minorities voicing their desire to be better represented and featured in big-budget productions. I’m not autistic but one of the aspects I find interesting about this film is the character of Christian Wolff. Yes, we’ve seen pictures featuring people with learning disabilities (who usually either end up being “idiot savants” or the leading cause of conflict in dramas) but I can’t remember the last time we saw someone like this. A protagonist that struggles with day-to-day life in his own unique way… and is also able to kick his opponents’ teeth in, grab your attention without making you sorry for him, and be someone you can admire. I’m not saying it’s a game-changer or even inspirational. I’m just saying that I like it. I enjoy seeing different characters and if getting something new also coincides with a minority getting representation on-screen, that’s a bonus.

    “The Accountant” delivers when it comes to the action. Sometimes, you just want to see a bunch of bad people get demolished in hand-to-hand combat or get their brains splattered across the floor by a manly man that knows what he’s doing. There are a good number of scenes where Christian goes toe-to-toe with some thugs that you loathe. You hate them so much that the action becomes cathartic and extremely satisfying. At the same time, you don’t feel like he’s an invincible Terminator so there is tension when the bullets start flying. “The Accountant” also doesn’t neglect its characters for the sake of having stuff blow up real good.

    Anna Kendrick as Dana is charming. Her character is taken in some unexpected directions that I found refreshing. I like the character development that’s given to this young lady that gets swept up in something much bigger than her (I noticed a lot of little hints dropped throughout the film that had nothing to do with the plot but that wound up coming back later) When on-screen with Affleck, the two of them make a great team. Is it sparks? Maybe. There’s something there, that’s for sure. Affleck delivers too. He’s fully committed to the role, whether he’s beating people up or simply selling you on the lines and the mannerisms used to build his character. There are many good actors in good roles featured here. J. K Simmons and Cynthia Addai-Robinson are prominently featured in a solid side plot, as is John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor. Talking about their stories would give too much away, but they’re always interesting to see.

    I still don’t like the way “The Accountant” wraps itself up. It’s a little bit too tidy for me and features some strange decisions on the part of the writer. I think it’s easily the weakest part of the film. Despite this, I can’t deny what works. The action is satisfying, the characters compelling and the actors chosen to bring them to life are very adept. If you’re intrigued by the premise of “The Accountant”, it’s sure to please you. I say check it out. (Theatrical version on the big screen, October 15, 2016)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  6.11.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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