Tag Archives: Ben Affleck

Triple Frontier (2019): Thrilling Heist and Lackluster Characters

After a 5 year absence and attempting to make larger films at major studios, J. C. Chandor has returned with his biggest feature yet. Triple Frontier is led by Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Ben Affleck (Argo), and Charlie Hunnam (The Lost City of Z). Isaac plays a member of the military working in South America to take down a cartel. When he finds where the cartel leader is hiding – and that his money is hiding with him – he goes to his former brothers in arms to help him take out the drug lord and seize the money.

Despite the big name cast, the acting is one of the film’s weakest parts. Ben Affleck speaks with a tired, gruff delivery that is meant to make him seem grizzled and world-weary, but instead he comes off as disinterested and often bored, maintaining a single blank expression for the majority of his screen time. Charlie Hunnam, an English actor, struggles to establish his American accent. He plays a southern military man but is unable to maintain the desired speaking voice for more than a few words at a time. He regularly starts with a southern twang then relapses into a posh Englishman to a distracting degree. The least offensive of the leads is Oscar Isaac who plays his character straight as the optimist-turned-pragmatist. He is frustrated with the corrupt system he has lived in while the fighting drug cartels and his decision to independently seize the funds is a believable turn, yet even Isaac’s performance isn’t noteworthy.

The screenplay, written by Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty) and Chandor has little interest in its characters. The first act of the film introduces the characters, their backstories, and their comradery but does so in broad, cliched strokes. Each lead has a single defining trait and little effort is put into developing any of them beyond that. We are expected to believe in the strength of their friendship based on the hugs they greet each other with, but any of the backstory is forcibly and explicitly told, rather than shown. The script’s dialogue is overflowing with clumsy exposition as Boal and Chandor attempt to cram in the necessary details to make the heist plausible. The film’s writing is mostly a necessary component to support the main draw – the heist.

The back and forth between the characters never works and takes up an unfortunate amount of the film’s runtime.

It’s a good thing the act itself is worth the wait. Chandor has proven himself a strong director, but Triple Frontier is his first action title and he clearly has a talent for it. All the rushed storytelling that preceded fades to the background once the heist begins. At this stage, the film finally begins to demonstrate, not explicitly lecture, its characters. Each person has their own distinct role in the crime with Affleck serving as the tactician calling out movements. The speed and efficiency they move with are enthralling. They prove themselves to be an elite group of trained military professionals in the way they methodically infiltrate and clear the cartel boss’s home. Chandor shoots these scenes with the same attention to detail. His camera gradually moves from room to room, sweeping for occupants in the same way as the film’s cast and the effect is immersive. The heist and the eventual escape account for roughly a third of the runtime and every moment of these sequences is precipitous as the cast’s quick course corrections always put them on the verge of total failure.

It’s a shame that this level of quality does not extend into the film’s beginning and ending. Without the high stakes of the heist, we are left with cliched characters we don’t care about and performances that are, at best, merely adequate. Triple Frontier is one taut, deftly executed infiltration, bookended by time spent with people that aren’t worth our attention.

3/5 stars.

The Accountant (2016)

With a strange premise and what has to be the least interesting title in recent memory, The Accountant starts out walking uphill. It features Ben Affleck (Argo) as Christian Wolff, an autistic man who works as a CPA for dangerous organizations, often killing as needed. He is hired to sort through the records of a biotech company after a bright, young staff member (Anna Kendrick; Pitch Perfect) finds something that doesn’t add up. What follows is the aftermath of the conspiracy he discovers that puts him and Kendrick’s character on the run from an unknown party looking to end their interference.

The film deserves significant praise for its portrayal of autism. Most films do not feature characters with disabilities that are able to live independently. Even Dustin Hoffman’s Academy Award winning role in Rain Man portrays the character as a tragic figure, brilliant but ultimately useless. Director Gavin O’Connor (Warrior) is able to successfully balance the effects of the disease. He doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of children with autism and the stress it puts on their families. In flashbacks of his childhood, Wolff’s parents are at a loss when trying to raise him as he doesn’t interact with other children and frequently has uncontrolled outbursts to the point that his mother leaves the family. Yet, the film shows how he is able to manage his difficulties. Through discipline and both medical and behavioral treatment, Wolff is able to become a successful adult, choosing a profession that utilizes his extreme attention to detail. His autism is still clearly present, but he is cognizant of his triggers and mitigates them. Affleck conveys his character’s situation with commendable nuance.

Both Kendrick and Affleck are convincing as accountants.
Both Kendrick and Affleck are convincing in their professions.

The tonal mix may be jarring, even excessive to some. The Accountant wants to be both a procedural thriller as well as an action movie. Like its lead, the film splits its time between the close examination of financial records and hitmen assassinating loose ends. To his credit, Affleck is believable in both situations, but the premise alone strains the film’s credibility. There is a backstory to support Wolff’s dual life, but it’s difficult to merge the disparate connotations of accountants and assassins. Fortunately, O’Connor is equally adept in staging someone poring over t-accounts and infiltrating a heavily guarded home. The action scenes are surprisingly tense. Affleck’s fighting style reveals the methodical, emotionless nature of his character and Kendrick’s resistance shows her resourcefulness even in the face of danger. They may seem far-fetched but the set pieces are always entertaining.

With Affleck as the lead, it’s hard to avoid the obvious comparison. Wolff could be viewed as the autistic Batman, doing taxes by day and fighting criminals by night. Yet there is a practicality to Wolff’s lifestyle that sets him apart. He isn’t trying to be a hero or be a villain. He is only taking advantage of his particular combination of skillsets. He has an innocence that makes him more sympathetic. His actions aren’t right or wrong, just necessary for him to complete his assigned task. The unique character backstory and effective action make The Accountant a refreshing spin on the typical hitman narrative.

4/5 stars.