The Accountant

By: John Delia

The most electrifying and suspense-filled film this year, The Accountant has opened nationwide and it’s a thriller. From opening act to the closing credits it keeps you glued to your seat waiting for the exciting scene. Under the keen direction of Gavin O’Connor who brought Miracle and Warrior to the screen, the cast makes The Accountant a winner. If you thought that Ben Affleck was good in movies like Gone Girl, Argo or The Town, witness the actor at his level best.

Trying to keep his mind on a puzzle young mathematics savant Christian (Seth Lee) looks like he’s rattled twisting from side to side furiously. His autistic sister Justine (Izzy Fenech) who has been sitting across the room approaches him and hands him the last piece of the puzzle that was laying beneath his feet. Flash forward and we find accountant Christian (Ben Affleck) talking to the Rices about their taxes. After saving them from losing their property to the government, the couple offers him an opportunity to visit them anytime at their farm. But doing a tax return for the Rices is not exactly how he makes his real money.

The film goes on from there as we follow the numbers guru taking on client Robotech, a robotics company headed by Lamar Black (John Lithgow) and Rita Blackburn (Jean Smart). They want to get to the bottom of an embezzlement within their company. After assigning him employee Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick) he gets too close to the answer and things start to get complicated. Director Gavin O’Connor moves his film along at a fast clip introducing characters and bringing up Christian’s past until all forces are brought together in an exciting finale. Not everything is what it seems to be and O’Connor has us groping for answers right up until the credits roll.

Leading the fine cast of characters, Ben Affleck does a terrific job as the mathematical genius who’s on a fast track making dirty money. He controls his character as it changes throughout the film. As Christian he’s shrewd, crazy smart and has physical abilities that very few men do. Being tracked by the treasury he’s always looking over his shoulder. But when assigned Dana Cummings who’s compatible with his intellect, he lets his guard down. He’s exciting to watch and it makes the film work.

When I think of Ben Affleck it’s thoughts of the late 1990’s and films like Chasing Amy, Armageddon and Good Will Hunting. It wasn’t until the beginning of the next century that I really started to find the real actor. Boiler Room had him in a real dramatic role that showed his talent rising. In 2001, he became the suave pilot that got the girl in Pearl Harbor. He took a nose dive in 2003 with the movie Gigli and his value dived with it. Although he made several films through the first decade, it wasn’t until 2010 that he directed and starred in The Town. It was his bit break and he started coming into his own as more than just a handsome guy on our screens. He followed that up with winning a Best Picture Oscar and Golden Globe for his film Argo. How do you top that? You team up with Justin Timberlake in Runner, Runner and then take the role of Nick Dunne in Gone Girl. Welcome back, Ben.

As Dana, the opposite persona to Christian, Anna Kendrick turns in a very good performance. She’s this frail looking woman who gets assigned to assist Christian in going over the books of a major company. The chemistry at first looks uneven with Affleck towering over Kendrick, but as the film goes on the two meld into a formidable force. I like the way Kendrick steps out of her comedic Pitch Perfect persona to add some depth with her dramatic ability.

The Accountant has been rated R by the MPAA for strong violence and language throughout. There is a lot of vicious fighting and killing in the film so be cautious when allowing immature teens see the movie.

FINAL ANAYLSIS: A cool crime film that’s packed with action. (B-)