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The Accountant

The Accountant

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2016128 minRMidcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Director
Gavin O'Connor
Starring
Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal

As a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Accountant?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Accountant to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Accountant?

The Accountant earns 9 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Top 10% in Action.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Accountant worth watching?

The Accountant's Midcredits score is the 88th percentile of all films, from 863K ratings across 6 sources. 82% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

88th percentile

Better received than 88% of films

94th percentile among Action88th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)92nd

71 /100

81st percentile of all films

91st percentile among Action80th percentile among 2010s

Critics 51 · Audience 72

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.5 — people broadly agree on this one.

82% liked it

92nd percentile of all films

95th percentile among Action93rd percentile among 2010s
82% rated it 7–1018% rated it 1–6

Critics 53% · Audience 77%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 4 noms overall

99th percentile

863K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Action99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$44M
Opening weekend$25M
Domestic gross$86M
Worldwide gross$156M

Returned 3.5× its budget — 89th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A high-concept action-thriller that mixes mathematical genius with lethal combat skills in an unusually structured narrative.

Fans praised

  • Affleck's committed, nuanced performance as a high-functioning autistic savant
  • Brutal, well-choreographed action sequences mixing hand-to-hand and gunplay
  • Intricate plot with multiple twists and layered storytelling

Detractors panned

  • Convoluted, overstuffed plot with too many subplots and coincidences
  • Stereotypical and inconsistent portrayal of autism as a superpower
  • Unnecessary side plots that go nowhere, especially the Treasury investigation

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Affleck's restrained, stoic performance as an autistic savant widely praised; supporting cast solid though some roles underwritten

TensionDivisive70

Sustained suspense in corporate investigation and hitman pursuit; some scenes genuinely thrilling

OriginalityDivisive68

Fresh premise blending accounting, autism, and assassin tropes; execution feels derivative of Bourne and John Wick

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

Practical-feeling gunfights and hand-to-hand combat; no overdone CGI, grounded action

CharactersDivisive62

Christian Wolff a compelling antihero with depth; side characters like Dana and King feel underdeveloped or wasted

EndingDivisive62

Twists and familial reveals satisfying for many; detractors find them contrived and over-explained

Plot and storyDivisive55

Intricate but convoluted, with too many coincidences and convenient reveals; predictable twists for some

PacingDivisive55

Slow first half with heavy exposition; second half picks up but overlong at 128 minutes

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Accountant like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense and leaves you fired up.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseContemplativeCathartic
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Hardboiled · 1% of films: Terse, unsentimental, noir-inflected.Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its high-concept thriller straight, treating the autistic protagonist with sincerity while delivering brutal, efficient action.
The rideThe film sustains a taut, often violent atmosphere from start to finish, with quieter reflective interludes that build to a cathartic final confrontation.
StructureThe story unfolds with frequent flashbacks to Christian's childhood and pivotal past events, intercut with the present-day investigation and action.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with an adrenaline rush from the action and a warm feeling from the brotherly reconciliation.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% (this title) · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Corporate villainy: A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe film centers on an accountant who uncovers corporate fraud, is hunted by assassins, and ultimately takes down the corporate mastermind behind the embezzlement while reconciling with his estranged brother.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsFamily bondsJustice · 13% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates how a man with autism constructs a dual life — math savant and killer — while seeking a place in a world that sees him as broken.
StanceThe film questions whether a violent, isolated life can be reconciled with a desire for connection, without settling the answer.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Mark Isham
SettingA globe-trotting world of corporate boardrooms, criminal hideouts, and federal offices, centered around Chicago and Illinois.
MusicA brooding, pulsating score that underscores the tension without overpowering the action.

Content guide

Is The Accountant okay for kids?

R

The Accountant is rated R: “Rated R for strong violence and language throughout” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (82/100), sexual content at minimal (10/100), language at intense (71/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at moderate (59/100). Overall it is heavier than 48% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 39 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandR16
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina+16
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceK15
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary18
  • ID17+
  • IndiaA
  • Israel14
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • LV12+
  • MexicoB-15
  • MOC
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO15
  • Russia18+
  • SK15
  • South Africa16
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan12+
  • TH15
  • Türkiye16+
  • UA16+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 69% of all filmsHeavier than 48% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 67%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 5%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 58%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 13%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Accountant have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Accountant?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Ben Affleck
as Christian Wolff
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Anna Kendrick
as Dana Cummings
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
J.K. Simmons
as Ray King
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jon Bernthal
as Brax
Jeffrey Tambor
as Francis Silverberg
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson
as Marybeth Medina
John Lithgow
as Lamar Blackburn
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Jean Smart
as Rita Blackburn
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Andy Umberger
as Ed Chilton
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Alison Wright
as Justine
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Accountant?

Movies like The Accountant include The Accountant 2 (2025), The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Desperate Hours (1955). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set in prison, and several are stories about assassins.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its world: the criminal underworld. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Accountant?

1.6K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: vigilante. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.