The Accountant 2is an action thriller starring Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff, but it isJon Bernthalas his brother Brax who carries the film, steals the show, and needs more star vehicles of his own. The experience ofThe Accountant 2leaves no doubt that Hollywood needs more Bernthal types and fewer Affleck types. We’ll get into what this means exactly, and how it manifests, but it’s clearly the ticket to better movies.
You might have first seen Jon Bernthal inThe Wolf of Wall Street,The Walking Dead, or evenHow I Met Your Mother.Arguably, his star-making turn was asthe Punisher character in theDaredevilstreaming series. The truth is, wherever you first saw Bernthal, there is a good chance he made an impression.He’s a throwback to an era of stars a few decades ago, when the character actor type was elevated to leading man and blew open the doors on what was possible in films. The De Niros, Pacinos, Hackmans, and Hoffmans of the world all come to mind.
While movies will always have a place for the traditional leading man, like Ben Affleck, there is a lack of features built around a dynamic and explosive performer who doesn’t conform as easily to the traditional looks and type. Bernthal hits different. Part of it is his physical presence, and part is how he comes alive physically on screen. It’s not only Bernthal’s height, for example, but his looming menace. It’s amazing how many fans assume Bernthal served in the military (he did not), but he carries himself and performs action in such a way that he is convincing as such.
Bernthal and Affleck in ‘The Accountant 2’
The Accountant 2
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As brothers Christian and Braxton, the two actors feed off one another in an odd-couple sort of dynamic. They play it for laughs but also for humanity, which brings the audience into the stakes and tension. Action without compelling characters will never carry the day. Affleck has never been a particularly versatile or dynamic performer.While he has his charisma and presence and his career has morphed over the decades, he lacks the kind of dynamic, explosive quality that makes Bernthal such a powder keg.
A sequence where Affleck’s Wolff tries line-dancing would not have worked at all were it not all reflected on an insanely enthusiastic Bernthal, building to a crescendo where he gets to throw a few guys out of a bar window, Western movie style. In some ways, Bernthal is the straight man to Affleck’s Wolff. Somehow, though,Bernthal also provides the laughs and the bigger moments, ultimately being the one who pulls all the weight in the dramatic, comedic, and even action scenes.
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It might be more interesting to see a pure spinoff about Braxton than another movie that involves Christian. Look no further than Bernthal’s first fewscenes inThe Accountant 2for evidence. In one, he wanders around a hotel in his underwear, arguing about a dog adoption. In the other, he casually eats ice cream and has a one-way conversation with a survivor of a mass assassination. In both cases, he does all the work, and he does it perfectly.
Just How Old Is Jon Bernthal, and How Does It Impact Versatility?
Bernthal was born in 1976, making him 48 in 2025, but his combination of youthfulness and features allows him to convincingly play characters across a broad age range.You could believably put Bernthal in the leading role as slightly younger, or slightly older; he’s got a classic ‘it’s not the years, it’s the mileage’ quality.
When you look at the legacy of massive franchises and success in Hollywood, the slightly off-kilter choices, the casting against type, and the risks define the real success. Famously, Jon Favreau had to fight to get Robert Downey Jr. cast as Iron Man. Similarly, Disney pushed back hard on Johnny Depp’s bizarre interpretation of Captain Jack Sparrow. It is not the conventional choice or performance that leads the way to the promised land.
‘The Accountant 2’ Stars Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, and More Discuss the Differences of the Sequel
Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Daniella Pineda, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and director Gavin O’Connor discuss ‘The Accountant 2’ in this press conference.
Bernthal is sitting there waiting to be put at the forefront of something massive. Every great director seems keen to work with him, with his role inChristopher Nolan’s upcomingThe Odysseybeing a prime example. When will we see the true Bernthal vehicle or franchise? What aboutMichael Mann’sHeat 2? He’d make perfect sense as a young Neil McCauley or Vincent Hanna.
The Accountant 2demonstrates how character-driven action thrillers hit the mark for audiences, but Affleck’s performance as the autistic Christian Wolff is not what drives the fun and the energy forward. It’s all Bernthal’s Brax lightening the moments, bringing the intensity, and landing the punches. So give us the Bernthal Franchise, Hollywood. We’re waiting.The Accountant 2is in theaters now.
