Director: Gavin O’Connor
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal and J.K. Simmons
‘A Meaningful Masterpiece’
Not many actors in Hollywood have created a career as iconic as Ben Affleck. Following his rise to fame in the 1990’s, Affleck has crafted unforgettable movies. Whether it’s accountant figures, CIA officers or bank robbers, Affleck has portrayed several compelling characters. Arguably, Affleck’s finest strength as an actor has often been his strong commitment to his craft. He is one of those rare actors which has often poured his heart and soul in every single role. Affleck has never been afraid to take risks in his career by portraying complex characters that aren’t often likeable. An actor with strong commitment to his craft, Affleck has become a beloved icon in entertainment. Despite facing public controversy due to his personal issues, Affleck has never lost sight of making powerful movies that achieve rave reviews. Throughout a long-lasting career, Affleck has made many powerful movies which are worth talking about without a doubt.
Now, Affleck is back on the big-screen and his strengths as an actor with abilities to captivate audiences is clearly evident in his latest movie “The Accountant 2”. Released in 2025, Gavin O’ Connor’s movie offered a powerful portrait of accountants facing tragedy. Packed with breathtaking provocation design, engaging storytelling and strong acting, it’s one of the best movies of the year. At the centre of it all is an extraordinary performance by Ben Affleck, who plays an Autistic accountant embarking on a commemorated mission which is tragic. Although “The Accountant 2” is a captivating crime thriller, it isn’t a flawless film. It’s unevenly paced, and lacks the strong ending of its superior predecessor. Nevertheless, it provides exhilarating entertainment which fans of Ben Affleck definitely would not be able to resist.
Following the events of the first movie, “The Accountant 2” tell the story of an accountant facing hardships causing tragedy. Ben Affleck plays Christian Wolff, an autistic accountant with a love for crunching numbers. Christian has often excelled at doing his job which often requires tension. Christian shares a bond with his brother Braxton (John Bernthal), who is a dangerous assassin. However, Christian’s life drastically changed when he is assigned to a new mission causing disaster. Forced to work with his brother, Christian embarks on a tense mission causing disaster. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Christian questions whether it’s possible for him to accomplish his goals causing disaster. Facing strong emotions of resentment, Christian is forced to question if it’s possible for him to anymore become a bold accountant.
Gavin O’ Connor is fascinated with the lives of accountants that face danger. O’Connor has often made engaging movies about the lives of accountants experiencing tragedy. With “The Accountant 2”, however, O’Connor created his first CIA thriller. It was the filmmaker’s first ever attempt to capture lives of accountants which face tragedy but he succeeded tremendously. Evoking Barry Levinson’s “Rain Man”, O’Connor effectively uses montages to capture hardship that autistic accountants are experiencing. For instance, montages elevate the data analysis scene. During this memorable scene, Christian analyzed data concerning the grim murder of a woman. One appreciates montages which captures the lives of accountants experiencing tension. Montages are tricky techniques to use in films. As Gus Van Sant’s “Good Will Hunting” suggested, montages enhance coming of age movies about. Nevertheless, they work well in this movie. Using stunning visuals, O’ Connor captures hardships autistic accountants are enduring.
Another admirable aspect of “The Accountant 2” that deserves recognition is the production. From a technical perspective, the film is very well made. O’ Connor effectively uses strong production design to capture accountants that face a decline. O’ Connor uses shaky camera to create action sequences involving Autistic accountants facing a dilemma. For instance, handheld cinematography elevates the fight scene. During this memorable scene, Christian and Braxton engage in a tense fight causing tension. One admires shaky camera capturing the strong bonds between brothers embarking on a mission. Furthermore, the musical score is magnificent. Bryce Dessner’s music is key to the success of the movie. It gives the movie a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden accountants bear. Through strong production, O’Connor captures Autistic accountants on a dangerous mission.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “The Accountant 2” is a film about lives of accountants that’s compelling. The film is beautifully written, and effectively employs silence to capture the tensions accountants engaging in a life of crime are enduring. For instance, silence elevates the brother reunion scene. During this emotional scene, Christian reunited with his brother experiencing a joyous reunion several years after separation. One appreciates silence capturing bonds between brothers in the accounting profession. Silence is a tricky technique to use in movies. As John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place” suggested, silence elevates horror films about silent apocalypse. David Fincher’s Gone Girl” suggested silence elevates murder mysteries. Nevertheless, works immensely in this movie. Through an extraordinary screenplay. Through a powerful screenplay, O’Connor captures accountants facing a price to pay.
One appreciate amazing performances.
Ben Affleck delivers one of his greatest career performances as Christian. Affleck achieved appreciation playing businessmen in coming of age movies. With “The Accountant 2”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray an accountant with Autism facing tragedy but he succeeded tremendously. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. Affleck has often excelled at playing emotional heroes under pressure, and “The Accountant 2” showcased his strengths as an actor. With riveting expressions, Affleck captures angst, depression and resentment of an accountant. It’s a powerful performance by one of the most commemorated stars working today.
Jon Bernthal is brilliant as an assassin that seeks to reconnect with his brother enduring tension. While Affleck gets the showier role, Bernthal is also excelled as an assassin whose life spirals out of control. Bernthal has always had sharp sense if humour, and “The Accountant” showcased his comedic talents as an actor. Whether he’s seeking to solve an equation that proves to be challenging or showcasing his skills for dance, Bernthal uses strong body language to craft a character that’s compelling. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most celebrated actors working today.
Although “The Accountant 2” is undeniably a captivating crime thriller, it isn’t a flawless film. If there’s a minor drawback to the film, it lacks compelling pacing. O’Connor’s decisions to integrate subplots about mental hospitals into the movie is bold but doesn’t succeed. Due to this faulty decision, scenes capturing the lives of patients in a mental institution aren’t often as engaging as Christian’s mission. As Milos Forman’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” suggested, subplots about mental hospitals elevate classic 1970’s movies. Moreover, the film lacks a strong ending. It’s an ambiguous conclusion without a clear resolution failing to bring the movie toward a satisfying conclusion. Therefore, “The Accountant 2” can’t capture hardships accountants go through.
Nevertheless, fans of Ben Affleck will enjoy “The Accountant 2” and so will movie-goers seeking exhilarating entertainment. A riveting drama, it honours an actor with charisma that has become an icon in cinema.
A captivating portrait of challenging that mathematical accountants facing hardships of Autism are experiencing, it’s a riveting reminder of a commemorated actor that has built a lasting legacy earning a huge fan following for his abilities to portrait compelling characters in captivating movies which are definitely worth celebrating.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 