The Accountant

[The Paineful Truth]

This is a masterpiece, 10/10, in my top 5 all time best movies. Calling this an action movie is like calling Romeo and Juliette a romance novel.
**Contains one spoiler, but it's recommended that you read it anyway before viewing, to enhance your understanding of the story, unless you're an actual art expert.
As is asked during the movie, "Do you like Puzzles?". This is indeed several layers of puzzle. and its tagline as well. This is a puzzle in the form of one of the best action movies in a couple of years. And to emphasize the point, the autistic-savant main character, Chris Wolff (Affleck), is shown at the start as a child putting together a jigsaw puzzle as fast as he can lay them down, backside up! But this is an "action" movie with a lot of meat on it. Perfect casting, an ironclad story, lots of off-hand/dark humor, and an important message that's handled perfectly instead of presenting it as a cause.
Some people don't like Anna Kendrick in this part, but if opposites attract, she's the outgoing spark that matches his autism. She's the catalyst in the only two scenes in the movie where Wolff gets truly excited about something. The lunch scene is also exquisite, as is the one on the couch where Wolff delivers the lines, "I have difficulty socializing with people...but I want to", soon followed by the most jolting segue ever, "Crazy Eddie and the Panama Pump!" I mean c'mon, he could have waited 30 minutes. Their roles here don't seem especially demanding, but a good part of that is that good actors make it look easy.

The most important puzzle in this set of puzzlea is a painting. Two are used in the story, a Renoir, and one of Jackson Pollock's cynical abstract abominations, which a little research revealed was titled "Free Form" (1946), and which is estimated to be worth $100 mil. But the one in the movie has a small alteration, the profile of an eye looking askance from the center of the surface, which jumps out at you for the 3 seconds they show it on screen. (It's hard to see on TVs.) But it isn't in Pollock's original, and it changes everything. It hearkens to a line from the song at the end, "I can get through the wall if you give me a door." And instead of being merely red, white and black noise, the eye (of an autistic?) is added at the center of that noise. It's probably the harshest form of criticism, to show what Pollock could/should have done, and do it for him. I think this hidden-in-plain-sight clue/statement must be the first of its kind in a film--especially since only an art expert would recognize that it was an alteration and thus the reason it was used--for art criticism and to enhance the plot.

Wolff's mentor in prison tells him to find just one person he can trust. But he finds three. There are several reveals, but the story behind the SIRI (Wolff's seemingly artificially intelligent personal assistant) is a real kicker.
I agree with the public on this one which gives it a high rating as opposed to the critics who don't, apparently because this movie takes more time, effort and viewings, to truly get to the bottom of it and appreciate it. It's one of my most re-watchable movies ever, I even saw it over a dozen times in the theater.
Even product placement, which isn't necessarily bad if it's honest, is interesting, well deployed, and some probably weren't even paid. Examples:
An Ammoland Osprey "silencer" which actually suppresses the noise better than the one which brand isn't shown; the water cooled desktop Corsair computer shown at the end, which could "backdoor the Pentagon"; and my favorite, the clue that ties things up at the end, the dented Stanley wide-mouth bottle, with the easy to remove Stanley label missing, and which is referred to as a "thermos". That had to be one of the unpaid examples.

This is the director's (Gavin O'Connor's) second major film, after "Warrior", which was only OK, but this, as I mentioned, is a masterpiece, in my never-to-be-humble opinion.

[TheUsualSuspect]

Masterpiece is a bit much, but I liked it.

[cat_sidhe]

I loved it too. :blush:

[Nestorio_Miklos]

not a masterpiece but i really liked it. Idea and execution were spotless. Very interesting insight Paineful and I'm gonna rewatch it soon considering your points.

[cat_sidhe]

Incidentally, only this morning, I watched "Everything wrong with the Accontant". I hadn't heard of this series of fun youtube videos. LOLd quite a bit!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W79zryQyEXI

[Nestorio_Miklos]

Incidentally, only this morning, I watched "Everything wrong with the Accontant". I hadn't heard of this series of fun youtube videos. LOLd quite a bit!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W79zryQyEXI

what's the channel here. NOt available in CET. I mean I could play directly here but couldn't play it in utube

[cat_sidhe]

what's the channel here. NOt available in CET. I mean I could play directly here but couldn't play it in utube


It's called CinemaSins.


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYUQQgogVeQY8cMQamhHJcg


It's hilarious!!! I spent a chunk of last night and most of this morning glued to it.


Edit: if you're having trouble, try searching "Everything wrong with", and a list should come up of everything. I'm in Sweden, but maybe your country blocks it?

[Nestorio_Miklos]

It's called CinemaSins.


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYUQQgogVeQY8cMQamhHJcg


It's hilarious!!! I spent a chunk of last night and most of this morning glued to it.
thanks cat, it's the wonders of utube restrictions. Mysteriously i can get to the channel and play the videos however i can't get to see them directly. Just watched Aliens and it is hilarious. :D:D:D

[cat_sidhe]

thanks cat, it's the wonders of utube restrictions. Mysteriously i can get to the channel and play the videos however i can't get to see them directly. Just watched Aliens and it is hilarious. :D:D:D


IKR?? And you're right about funny restrictions. Sometimes I can access a Youtube vid from my computer, but not my mobile and/or vice versa.

[Claireofthemoon]

I didn't think it was a masterpiece, but very good. I'd watch it again.

[The Paineful Truth]

Incidentally, only this morning, I watched "Everything wrong with the Accontant". I hadn't heard of this series of fun youtube videos. LOLd quite a bit!!

Whenever there's anything that's something less than 90% of people liking it, the trolls come out in droves after dark.

[The Paineful Truth]

I didn't think it was a masterpiece, but very good. I'd watch it again.

Good, because it doesn't really sink in until further viewings. particularly with the Pollock painting thing going on and the autism thread. I rated it a 9 initially, then a 10 then a 10+. It's in my top 5 all time (actually top 2)

[The Paineful Truth]

not a masterpiece but i really liked it. Idea and execution were spotless. Very interesting insight Paineful and I'm gonna rewatch it soon considering your points.

Yes, the script is tight as a drum, and the Pollock painting thingy just waters my eyes that they did that, yet almost nobody has noticed! :eek: I've read that it looks like they're making a sequel with most of the cast and director which I hope they don't screw up. If they do it right, the franchise could be one of the greatest backdoor hits ever, though I don't know how they could ever outdo the first.

[The Paineful Truth]

Masterpiece is a bit much, but I liked it.

I know, especially since it's a actioner, so I didn't assign that lightly. But I bet you've only seen it once. If you watch it again you really, REALLY have to pay attention. It took me 12 viewings while it was still in theaters before I felt like I wasn't missing anything or have anything to research afterwards; but then I'm not a genius or an art expert. :( And I did spend a lot of time researching the product placements, many of which are very interesting (gun suppressor logos, water cooled computers, and the biggie, the dented "thermos" which isn't a thermos and thus obviously wasn't a paid placement and is also a critical clue to the story). There is even a single note in the soundtrack which is important. I still haven't been able to ID the motorcycle in amongst the other "toys" in his limited edition, 3 axle Airstream toy hauler. Saving that for the sequel no doubt. Did you notice who his on-line British assistant is? One of the cooler reveals and one that I missed in the first viewing, though I shouldn't have. I had relaxed because it was ending.

It is definitely a movie for those who like puzzles, and not just the face down Cassius Clay jigsaws.

[cat_sidhe]

Whenever there's anything that's something less than 90% of people liking it, the trolls come out in droves after dark.

That's true. God forbid something be imperfect. This makes me laugh, though admittedly not as much asthe Bad Lipreading series.

[TheUsualSuspect]

12 times??? Jesus.

[The Paineful Truth]

12 times??? Jesus.

Yeah, 12+....I lost count. It's a cult favorite waiting to finally break out, 30, maybe 50 years from now--or maybe never. Makes you wonder how many Van Goghs are rolled up in attics somewhere because nobody of influence took the time to study them before he was famous.

It's hard to notice given all the clutter, but cinema is just hitting it's stride IMNTBHO. Hell, even a superhero summer blockbuster (GotGvol2) is a noticeable shining star compared to its upcoming hum-in-the-drum LCD brethren in the genre. In fact, given the Guardians 5 and the the upcoming Baby Driver, Hollywood may actually be in the process of rediscovering music (gasp). Who'd've thunk? Not countin' my chickens on that one yet.

[earlsmoviepicks]

I liked the movie for the most part. However, if Affleck started shrieking, spinning and holding his ears every time there was a stressful moment, it would have been a different and more enjoyable movie for me.

[DocHoliday]

I try not to ever be critical of others movie opinions because film is so subjective, but The Accountant a top 5 movie of all time???? Huhhh????

It was decent. I saw it at the movies, and although I didn't leave the theatre feeling I got cheated out of my money or lost time, I also didn't feel like I just viewed anything great.

As far as Gavin O'Connor goes, Warrior was far better than The Accountant imo.

[cat_sidhe]

I liked the movie for the most part. However, if Affleck started shrieking, spinning and holding his ears every time there was a stressful moment, it would have been a different and more enjoyable movie for me.

I would have wanted to save him!

[Gideon58]

This is a masterpiece, 10/10, in my top 5 all time best movies. Calling this an action movie is like calling Romeo and Juliette a romance novel.


Really liked your review of this film and agree with most of what you mentioned...was especially pleased with your mention of my favorite scene in the film, where Ben tries to explain his autism to Anna Kendrick while she's trying to relate to him telling the story of how she earned her prom dress. In a movie filled with slam-bang action, I was a little startled that this scene was my favorite in the film but it was.

[The Paineful Truth]

Really liked your review of this film and agree with most of what you mentioned...was especially pleased with your mention of my favorite scene in the film, where Ben tries to explain his autism to Anna Kendrick while she's trying to relate to him telling the story of how she earned her prom dress. In a movie filled with slam-bang action, I was a little startled that this scene was my favorite in the film but it was.

Yeah, "Crazy Eddie and the Panama Pump", perhaps cinema's most jarring segue. And the incorporation of the "edited" Pollock, made ultra-relevant to the overarching autism theme, may well set a record for being the longest and best cinematic hidden-in-plain-sight "secret". I liked every scene the two of them were in, but I gotta stop re-watching it so much, I cringe every time I see a Pitch Perfect 1, 2 or 3 poster. What a waste.
"Why would your clients follow you? You're an accountant."--one accountant to another.

[The Paineful Truth]

Masterpiece is a bit much, but I liked it.

Yeah, I know, most people don't notice much beyond the action. What kicked it over the top for me was everything going on with the Pollard painting.

[Gideon58]

Yeah, "Crazy Eddie and the Panama Pump", perhaps cinema's most jarring segue. And the incorporation of the "edited" Pollock, made ultra-relevant to the overarching autism theme, may well set a record for being the longest and best cinematic hidden-in-plain-sight "secret". I liked every scene the two of them were in, but I gotta stop re-watching it so much, I cringe every time I see a Pitch Perfect 1, 2 or 3 poster. What a waste.
"Why would your clients follow you? You're an accountant."--one accountant to another.


I, too was underwhelmed by the Pitch Perfect films, saw the first two and had no desire to sit through the third.

[The Paineful Truth]

This is a puzzle in the form of one of the best action movies in a couple of years. If you don't like puzzles, you won't like this much. And to emphasize the point, the autistic-savant main character, Chris Wolff (Affleck), is shown at the start as a child putting together a jigsaw puzzle, backside up, as fast as he can lay them down. But this is an action movie with a lot of meat on it. Perfect casting, an ironclad story, lots of off-hand/dark humor, and an important message that's handled perfectly instead of presenting it as a cause.

Some people don't like Anna Kendrick in this part, but if opposites attract, she's the outgoing spark that matches his autism. She's the catalyst to the only scene in the movie where Wolff gets truly excited about something. The lunch scene is exquisite, as is the one on the couch where Wolff delivers these lines, "I have a problem socializing
with people...but I want to", soon followed by the most jolting segue ever, "Crazy Eddie and the Panama Pump!"

The most important piece of this puzzle is a painting. Two are used in the story, a Renoir, and one of Jackson Pollock's cynical abstract abominations (in my not so humble opinion) which a little research revealed was titled "Free Form". But the one in the movie has a small alteration, the profile of an eye looking askance from the center of the surface, which jumps out at you for the 3 seconds they show it on screen. But it isn't in the original, and it changes everything. It hearkens to a line from the song at the end, "I can get through the wall if you give me a door." Instead of being pure red, white and black noise, an eye (of an autistic?) is added at the center of that noise. It's probably the harshest form of critique, to show something of what Pollock could/should have done, and do it for him.

Wolff's mentor in prison tells him to find just one person he can trust. But he finds three. There are several reveals, but the story behind the SIRI (Wolff's artificially intelligent personal assistant) is a real kicker.

I agree with the public on this one which gives it a high rating as opposed to the critics who don't, for reasons I can't fathom. When there's a split, I'm usually on that side. This is the director's (Gavin O'Connor's) second major film, after "Warrior", which was only OK, but this is a masterpiece, again, IMNTBHO. The thing with the painting and how it was used in the overall thread on autism is what kicked it up into that category for me. I saw the alteration on the first viewing but didn't find out about the rest of the story until my third viewing.

[Reyth]

Yup loved this movie thanks for the review! :D