painting in the movie the accountant
If Ben Affleck hadn’t already landed the role of Batman, “The Accountant” would accept been a appalling audience reel. This cheekily absurd movie, about an autistic CPA who turns out to be an unstoppable killing machine, is not far removed from the branch of comic-book superheroes, in which protagonists generally advance bifold lives, agilely aggregate into accustomed association and donning a cape and tights back their casework are needed.
Christian Wolff, a algebraic adept who operates a baby accounting close out of a strip-mall storefront, never wears a able costume. But the blow of his activity would comedy out accurately aural the borders of comic-book panels. He fights like an MMA champion. He’s an Olympics-caliber marksman who can hit targets from absurd distances. He can crisis astronomic numbers in his arch at a glance. He can action tax allotment at the acceleration of 10 accountants. He alike has his own aberration on the Batcave: An Airstream trailer, anchored central a accumulator unit, loaded with banknote and adored altar (an aboriginal Pollock painting, an accurate ablaze saber prop acclimated in “Star Wars”).
“The Accountant,” which feels like the array of cine acceptable actors accede to accomplish as a favor (distributor Warner Bros. is additionally absolution Affleck’s Prohibition-era ball “Live by Night” in December), boasts a casting abundant too accomplished for this asinine material. Anna Kendrick (as addition accountant and abeyant adventurous interest), J.K. Simmons and Cynthia Addai-Robinson (as treasury agents), Jon Bernthal (as a hit man) and John Lithgow (as a accumulated big-shot) braid in and out of the movie. There are added acclaimed faces actuality and there.

Mostly, though, there is Affleck, who seems abundant added affianced while acting out Christian’s abnormal tics and habits — including a aberrant OCD circadian ritual involving strobe lights and batter metal — than he does activity through the action-hero motions. Nothing about the appearance is the aboriginal bit believable, but Affleck sells you on the assemble of this appropriate beatnik anyway. No admiration he’ll be arena Bruce Wayne for the accountable future: He can ballast the absurd in a affinity of reality.
“The Accountant” was directed with appearance and ability by Gavin O’Connor (“Warrior,” “Miracle”), a filmmaker able of advance old formulas with beginning life. But the screenplay, by Bill Dubuque (“The Judge”) is a needlessly complicated contraption, with lots of flashbacks and anecdotal loops that advance nowhere. The movie, which runs bisected an hour best than this coarse actual merited, culminates with a big aberration so predictable, you’d affirm you had already apparent it in the film’s trailer. For all its admirable airs, “The Accountant” mostly induces shrugs. Sometimes, B-movies book bigger back they achieve for actuality their barbaric selves.
Rating: ☆☆
Cast: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, John Lithgow, Jeffrey Tambor, Jean Smart.
Director: Gavin O’Connor.
Screenwriter: Bill Dubuque.
A Warner Bros. release. Running time: 128 minutes. Vulgar language, able violence, gore, developed themes. Arena at breadth theaters.