Review of The Accountant (2016) by Herman73Trio — 17 Oct 2016

Wolf's family : husband and wife with their two kids visit a school for autistic with the hope that they will find a solution for Christian.

In present day…Christian Wolf (Ben Affleck) is a already the owner of C.P.A office "ZZZ Accountant", one day he helps old couples with tax problems, and he settled it for them, these old couples so happy then offered him their ranch so he can do his hobby : shooting…anytime he want to. Then, comes the offer from LivingRobotics C.E.O and owner Lamar Black (John Lightgow) to get a very close look to all booking, and on the process he get acquainted with this junior accounting staff, Dana Cummings (Anna Kendricks).

Meanwhile, a soon will be retired Treasury Department agent Raymond King (J.K Simmons) assigns an analyst Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) to investigate a mysterious person that always caught by a surveillance camera in several countries along with some international criminals. Medina accept this job reluctantly under King's threat,that he will revealed her dark covered past that will put her in jail for good.

As the investigations goes, Wolf share his finding on the company 15 years booking with Dana, that something is wrong with the bookings.That now and then there's a leak, and to where did those leakage go? How?And why? But this leakage finding only just bring in Brax a vicious assassin into action.Then, Lamar stop Chris to stop the booking investigation.Chris cannot accept that. He begins to anxious because he must finish his job. Whatever he started must finished perfectly. Withouthis knowledge, a reservation is made on him. Brax and his team will execute them both. But only to find out that The Accountant not just an accountant that really good calculating with numbers of books, but also expert on calculating a person's lifetime. When Chris found out that a contract also made on Dana, he went mad and star a rampage killings.

This Christian Wolf character is really unique, who once just an autism boy,but then grew up with a career as an accountant, not in a big reputation company but work with high profile most wanted international dangerous criminals. And the screenplay is so clever keep a question (I don't know if other audiences sense this) how the hell a man with end up in a dark career like this, some audiences perhaps begin to question this when viewed Christian Wolf once service in US Army more then 10 years before. Ben Affleck acting – not an Oscar level – but show a maturity from time to time, I admit that for quiet a while it's look like I see a bit shadow of Bruce Wayne from his eye look. He looks so convincing to perform when this character snap for the first time related to his job as an accountant. The emotions he hold between him and Dana, the sudden bumbling when he wave bye to the couple old husband and wives after he save them from being hostage by 2 hit men that sent to kill him (he killed the 2 hit men with cold blood). At this parts looks like I've shown Chris transform from a thorough autism shy bashful accountant into another persona :skillful killer with no remorse.

Anna Kendrick also a good choice to perform Dana Cummings, a junior accountant staff with warm personality, simple and sincere. She is the first person after so many years that give him a deep impression and make him care much, deep enough to defend her with all his got. He will stop at nothing to keep her alive. I enjoy the chemistry build bit by bit between this 2 characters.

Other thing that I like so much about this movie is that like I watch several stand alone movies in 1 packet kind like several mini spin off stories inside main story. The family, 2 Treasury Department agents, Christian Wolf and his interaction with Dana, the ruthless assassin Brax. But all goes smooth into one direction, and I said to my self "Woww..what is going down? And then finally "What the hell?".

I also gave credit to all support cast, J.K Simmons plays character Kings solidly as an uncompromising superior that will do anything to gain his will. Chyntia Addai Robinson also give her good play as a Treasury agent under pressure. And John Berthal already gave very nasty impression since the beginning until his character.

Then I browse about the director, then I struck on movie "Warrior" (Joe Edgerton and Tom hardy), I already saw that movie, a very emotion touch sport drama. Gavin O Connor gave a very good piece of work that he combined drama, violence and inter- characters conflict as a wholesale spectacle to us. And he did it again.

And another thing, since I'm from Indonesia, I really surprise this movie use #PencakSilat and #BahasaIndonesia. When the father train his sons pencaksilat under professional trainer, the trainer suggested to had enough training for that day, but the father insist with a reason that he must know his sons limit and it's the trainer job to find out. And the young Chris said "Tak apa apa, lanjutkan saja" (It's alright, keep continues). Then it's just like a moment for young Chris to find himself that day, to overcome his autism to face life.

My conclusion is this, with all those premises, stand alone stories that the script give, all it takes just one emphatic reason to bring out the action. Kinda cliché but, you don't need any difficult reason for a personality with autism background to defend what he care for. Finally, The Accountant is a calm with effective deadly moves. It's really #GoodWillHuntingMeetJackReacher.