The Accountant - Review
Director: Gavin O Connor
Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tembor, John Lithgow.
If Ben Affleck's new flick The Accountant teaches us anything, it's not to judge a film by its title. Yes, The Accountant isn't about an office-based 9 to 5 number cruncher, but about an autistic assassin with a flair for arithmetic. An interesting premise - but is that made evident in the film itself?
Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is an autistic small-town accountant, with a seemingly mundane and quiet existence. However, this projection is a mere guise as Wolff makes his living as an accountant for hardened criminal organisations. After learning that his cover is in danger of being blown, he assumes a legitimate case at a state-of-the-art robotics company, but finds the case riddled with inconspicuous matters, and life or death action ensues.
As the stakes in the financial realm rise, so does the body count as Affleck's Christian Wolff certainly doesn't hold any qualms about taking lives. Unfortunately, this not only gives the impression that autism is some kind of cute superpower but also dehumanises the character, suggesting those with autism are devoid of a conscious or any sympathetic emotions. Whilst it may seem that Wolff feels very little when exacting these acts of violence, the action sequences themselves evoke a very visceral response from the audience. We get the feeling that those involved are actually hurt as opposed to the fight sequences in other films where the hits and blows are just for show and people recover abnormally quickly - although Wolff is never down for long. The hero, of course, must prevail.
Although Christian Wolff exhibits some unflattering traits, Affleck effectively nails the nuances associated with those who have autism; the reluctance to make eye contact, the awkward navigation of simple social interactions and the frustration and despair at not being able to complete a task. Affleck also incorporates humourous beats into his portrayal without forcing the levity needlessly into moments. Meanwhile, the supporting performances from Kendrick, Lithgow and Simmons are perfectly fine, albeit not very memorable. All supporting players service the story appropriately but they're all irrefutably familiar turns from the actors; let's face it, Anna Kendrick could play her role of Dana in her sleep at this point in her career.
Whilst the characters are relatively clear cut in their manner and motives, the plot is convoluted and at times difficult to follow, leading you to want to make little effort to try and understand, and ultimately becoming a passive participant. The Accountant also fails to subtly introduce plot twists a they can be sniffed out and confidently identified way before we are given the "big reveal".
Overall, The Accountant is a much more violent and action-packed take on the 1988 classic Rain Man, but has neither the heart nor the conviction to make it worth the price of a movie ticket.
EB
Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tembor, John Lithgow.
If Ben Affleck's new flick The Accountant teaches us anything, it's not to judge a film by its title. Yes, The Accountant isn't about an office-based 9 to 5 number cruncher, but about an autistic assassin with a flair for arithmetic. An interesting premise - but is that made evident in the film itself?Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is an autistic small-town accountant, with a seemingly mundane and quiet existence. However, this projection is a mere guise as Wolff makes his living as an accountant for hardened criminal organisations. After learning that his cover is in danger of being blown, he assumes a legitimate case at a state-of-the-art robotics company, but finds the case riddled with inconspicuous matters, and life or death action ensues.
As the stakes in the financial realm rise, so does the body count as Affleck's Christian Wolff certainly doesn't hold any qualms about taking lives. Unfortunately, this not only gives the impression that autism is some kind of cute superpower but also dehumanises the character, suggesting those with autism are devoid of a conscious or any sympathetic emotions. Whilst it may seem that Wolff feels very little when exacting these acts of violence, the action sequences themselves evoke a very visceral response from the audience. We get the feeling that those involved are actually hurt as opposed to the fight sequences in other films where the hits and blows are just for show and people recover abnormally quickly - although Wolff is never down for long. The hero, of course, must prevail.
Although Christian Wolff exhibits some unflattering traits, Affleck effectively nails the nuances associated with those who have autism; the reluctance to make eye contact, the awkward navigation of simple social interactions and the frustration and despair at not being able to complete a task. Affleck also incorporates humourous beats into his portrayal without forcing the levity needlessly into moments. Meanwhile, the supporting performances from Kendrick, Lithgow and Simmons are perfectly fine, albeit not very memorable. All supporting players service the story appropriately but they're all irrefutably familiar turns from the actors; let's face it, Anna Kendrick could play her role of Dana in her sleep at this point in her career.
Whilst the characters are relatively clear cut in their manner and motives, the plot is convoluted and at times difficult to follow, leading you to want to make little effort to try and understand, and ultimately becoming a passive participant. The Accountant also fails to subtly introduce plot twists a they can be sniffed out and confidently identified way before we are given the "big reveal".
Overall, The Accountant is a much more violent and action-packed take on the 1988 classic Rain Man, but has neither the heart nor the conviction to make it worth the price of a movie ticket.
EB
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