Even if the movies themselves haven’t been great as a whole, Ben Affleck has been on a roll with his roles over the past few years, and “The Accountant” is no different.
The action-thriller follows Christian Wolff (Affleck), an autistic math savant that uses his CPA accountant job as a cover for working as a forensic accountant for various drug cartels and organized crime syndicates.
The plot takes a unique turn on its “man-with-a-secret-life” formula thanks to its lead character, who we see grow and evolve from childhood and learn not only how to cope and work with his disability, but to also keep a few tricks up his sleeve no one will see coming.
The action and direction are stylish and thrilling, Gavin O’Connor knowing how to keep audiences engaged in the action by keeping the camera close, as well as getting audiences into the head of Wolff during some of his toughest moments.
Even though the action gets a bit too choppy in moments, nearly every flaw in the movie is redeemed by Affleck’s mesmerizing performance as the titular character. The 44-year-old actor truly stepped into the role of Wolff and was able to portray the character with a sense of warmth and conviction that not only gets audiences to sympathize with the character, but to appreciate his rise above his disorder.
Overall, “The Accountant” could’ve used a little better editing for some of its action scenes and maybe one more draft revision for its screenplay, but is still a fast-paced, thrilling film with a stellar performance from Affleck.