Affleck hopes the numbers add up in “The Accountant”
Ben Affleck will take on a unique role in the high action, mystery film “The Accountant” in theaters this weekend.
Affleck (“Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Daredevil”), who has recently been cast as an over the top superhero, will now take on the role of Christian Wolff, a super intelligent accountant who also has serious marksman and hand-to-hand combat skills.
What makes Wolff unique is that he was diagnosed with a high-functioning form of autism when he was young.
According to Screen Rant, some people are concerned that “The Accountant” is exploiting and presenting a stereotypical image of an adult with autism.
Director Gavin O’Connor (“Miracle” and “Warrior”) recently defended the film to Screen Rant.
“I don’t know how it could be exploitative. If anyone ever said that, I don’t know how it could be.
“Y’Know, my intention and Ben’s intention was to celebrate the character; and we did a massive amount of research to make sure that it was authentic and truthful,” he explained to the entertainment website. “So I don’t know how anyone could ever think that, but you know, you can’t control what people will say or think.
“All I know is my intention in making the movie.”
In the film, Wolff is recruited to help unravel the accounting records of robotics company CEO Lamar Black (John Lithgow, “Interstellear” and “Shrek”).
Also, Joining Wolff is Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air” and “Pitch Perfect”), an accounting clerk.
Kendrick said that her mom is an accountant and reached out to her to prepare for the role.
“My mom is an accountant and I sent her the script, which is kinda frowned up upon,” she told ‘Good Morning America.’ “But I sent her the script because I was like, ‘You have to explain all of this to me.’ She’s a math whiz and she’s been working as an accountant for her whole life. So she was explaining all the financial aspects of it because it’s kind of a puzzle.”
The film is rated R for strong violence and language throughout.
Other films coming to theaters this weekend include:
n “Max Steel” starring Ben Winchell, Josh Brener and Maria Bello and directed by Stewart Hendler in this sci-fi action flick about a teenager and his extraterrestrial friend who have to control his powers to turn into the superhero Max Steel.
The film is rated PG-13 for some sci-fi action violence.
n “Certain Women” starring Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern and directed by Kelly Reichardt in this drama about the lives of three women who intersect in small-town America.
The film is rated R for some language.
n “Desierto” starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Alondra Hidalgo and directed by Jonás Cuarón in this dramatic thriller about people trying to cross the Mexican boarder into the United States when they run into a racist man who takes border control into his own hands.
The film is rated R for strong violence and language.