Before we get to The Accountant 2, The Accountant (first movie) features a neurodivergent man, Christian Wolff, who is an accountant, with a unique talent for cookin’ the books quickly. Unemotional and exacting, he befriends Dana, played by Anna Kendrick, as the two navigate some criminal, uh, doings. The movie is written by Bill Dubuque and directed by Gavin O’Connor. Ben Affleck does an adequate job of playing Christian, but does The Accountant 2 rate better?
The Accountant’s Motivation
The second movie opens up with financial director, Ray King’s (played by JK Simmons) murder. Marybeth, his assistant, played by Cynthia Addai-Robinson, contacts Christian to help her find anything that could lead her to what happened and possibly solve King’s murder. Christian finds even more puzzling connections between what King was working on and a potential human traffic ring.
The Accountant’s Brother
Christian realizes the rabbit hole goes much deeper. He enlists the help of his brother, Brax (or Braxton) playfully portrayed by Jon Bernthal. His brother, Brax, is a ruthless contract killer, and in some ways the exact opposite of Christian. The two brothers constantly grate on each other, which gives the movie the buddy feel and extra laughs.
The brothers complement each other in many ways, but also are apt to fight about childish things, as most brothers do. Much of the banter between these two gives this movie the charm and sharp wit that it needs. Affleck and Bernthal both light up the script and inject a bit of themselves in each of their roles, thus balancing out their characters.
There are a few funny scenes: Christian games a speed dating system then totally bombs the “in-person” bit. There is a square-dancing bar scene where the two brothers contrast in the way they relate to each other and to the bar patrons.
At the Heart of The Accountant 2
This is where the relationship of Christian and Braxton drive the movie. There are a bunch of great ways The Accountant 2 divides and blends humanity and emotionlessness and drama to comedy. Better yet, The Accountant 2 is written by Dubuque in such a way that is more purposed than the first installment. Also, the movie shines in that it ignores the safety so many current movies fall back on. It often unabashedly brings irreverent humor and even brashness into the scene, making for a thoroughly enjoyable viewing.
The Verdict on The Accountant 2?
The follow up is that The Accountant 2 is entertaining and worth the watch. Ben Affleck is at the top of his savant game, while Jon Bernthal plays up Braxton’s assertive nature perfectly. Seeing Brax and Christian play off each other with a strong supporting cast and a clear mission is a winning verdict.
