Netflix Just Gave A Controversial Crime Thriller a Second Life
Prepare to be H&R rocked.
No one could have expected The Accountant to be such an object of fascination. Its use of spectrum disorder as a superpower has made it a controversial fave, but Ben Affleck’s sleeper hit is still fast on its way to siring a franchise. The 2016 film has had a sequel greenlit, and director Gavin O’Connor already has plans for a third film to follow. He described the trilogy as “Rain Man on steroids” in a conversation with CinemaBlend, which doesn’t inspire confidence in its approach to its lead character’s autism.
As gauche as it seems, The Accountant’s popularity is impossible to ignore. It was a box office hit when it premiered eight years ago, pulling in $155 million against a $44 million budget, and helping kickstart an impromptu Ben Affleck Renaissance. Success seems to follow everywhere it goes, so it’s no surprise that less than a week after landing on Netflix, The Accountant is already the streamer’s #1 film.
Affleck stars as Christian Wolff, an autistic accountant whose quiet life is a front for a criminal consultant firm. When he’s not helping kind retirees get the most out of their tax deductions, Wolff moonlights as a bookkeeper for the world’s most notorious cartels. Conveniently, his dad trained him in matters of espionage and combat, so he’s not only a mathematical savant but a skilled hitman with a flawless track record.
Wolff’s business is compromised when he’s tasked with auditing a robotics company and, with the help of a young analyst named Dana (Anna Kendrick), uncovers a discrepancy that goes back decades. It turns out the CEO is in bed with the same criminal syndicates Wolff works for, and when chaos inevitably ensues, Wolff has to work hard to protect Dana from an assassin.
Affleck’s autistic mercenary feels like a relic of late ‘90s drama, but it’s hard not to root for him.
In true crime thriller fashion, said assassin is a figure from his past, with the twist simultaneously being very silly and kind of brilliant. Further complicating matters is J.K. Simmons’ Ray King, a Treasury agent who’s spent years trying to uncover Wolff’s true identity, and who’s now more determined than ever to catch him before retiring.
There’s a lot going on in The Accountant, but Affleck, O’Connor, and screenwriter Bill Dubuque craft an efficient and original action-thriller. Wolff’s mission is engrossing and smartly executed, if often derailed by O’Connor’s Rain Man-inspired inclinations. The Accountant cribs from misfit superhero properties like The X-Men, suggesting that Christian Wolff isn’t the only high-functioning autistic agent out in the field. Whether the sequels will double down on that remains to be seen, but if you’re willing to overlook its dubious depiction of autism, there’s no better time to revisit O’Connor’s scrappy franchise starter. Just remember to finish your taxes before you settle in.
