Who said accountants are boring? Hollywood has proven to us time and time again that accountants have a flare for adventure from time to time. It is no coincidence that accountants have featured in multiple movies, oftentimes snagging up the main role.
Accountants are the unsung heroes of the business world, saving money through their meticulous nature and unparalleled attention to detail. There is no way much of the population would be able to survive tax season without the trusted help of an accountant.
It is about time that we show them some love. Here’s a look at the top 10 memorable accountants in movies.
10. Midnight Run
After embezzling $15 million from a mob boss and skipping bail, mild-mannered accountant Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas turns to a life on the run. Sound familiar? Not-so-lucky for him, there are many more after him other than the police. Most notably the mob boss he stole from – Jimmy Serrano – who hires two hitmen to balance the books. Permanently.
9. Moonstruck
Working as a bookkeeper for various small businesses in Manhattan, Loretta Castorini’s life follows a strict schedule. If she is not at work, she is at home – and vice versa. However, Loretta decides to throw caution to the wind when she meets her fiancé’s brother – an eccentric and Opera-loving baker who breaks the cycle of her dull and boring life with a few moments of adventure.
8. The Royal Tennenbaums
Danny Glover plays the dependable, bow-tied accountant who provides some sense of stability and normalcy in the whirlwind that is the Tennenbaum family. Henry falls in love with the movie’s matriarch and stands as the stark opposite of the eccentric main character, Royal Tennenbaum. Henry is the perfect father figure and a poster child for accounting, having published his own book on personal finance.
Talk about living up to the typical accountant stereotype.
7. The Untouchables
The Untouchables is based on the true story of the pursuit of legendary gangster Al Capone. Although Capone was accused of several offenses, ultimately, it was the tax evasion charge that stuck, and guess who was behind it? Accountant Oscar Wallace of course! Wallace was instrumental in bringing down Capone’s empire.
Be nice to your accountant.
6. Stranger than Fiction
Harold Crick loves numbers. He counts everything from the number of strokes when he brushes his teeth, down to the number of steps he takes from his apartment to the bus stop. Needless to say, his meticulous nature sets him up to be the perfect accountant. However, his life is turned upside down when he hears a voice in his head narrating his life. This leads him to discover that he is the main character in a novel that is still being written by author Karen Eiffel, who is notorious for killing off her characters in the most creative of ways.
This existential movie teaches us that there is more to life than number-crunching.
5. Ghostbusters
Louis Tully is the ultimate geek. Constantly sporting a pair of oversized glasses, Louis is a tax accountant with an awkward personality – awkward being an understatement. Louis is head-over-heels in love with his beautiful neighbor, Dana Barrett, and in a bizarre turn of events, Louis is able to get the girl – nevermind both parties are possessed by demons.
Unfortunately for Louis and, perhaps, fortunately for Dana, neither one can remember their time together in the end. Louis teaches us that the game of love can be as tough for an accountant as anyone else.
4. The Other Guys
Will Ferrell appears to have a knack for playing the roles of accountants. Similar to his role in “Stranger than Fiction”, Ferrell plays accountant Allen Gamble. Initially, Gamble ticks off all the criteria on the checklist for the stereotypical accountant – he is risk averse, desk-bound and afraid of danger.
However, as the movie progresses, we start to learn that there is a lot more to Allen than meets the eye, teaching us to never judge a book – or in this case, ledger – by its cover.
3. Hitch
Albert Brennaman is a shy and quiet accountant at an investment bank, who is desperate to win the heart of his client, Allegra Cole. As Allegra is a rich and successful businesswoman who is out of his league, he definitely has his work cut out for him. As such, he resolves to seek the help of “Dating Doctor” Alex “Hitch” Hitchens. In this funny and heartwarming tale, our faith in the love lives of accountants is restored.
Guess things aren’t so bad for accountants after all.
2. Central Intelligence
Any movie starring Kevin Hart and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is guaranteed to leave you laughing. In this movie, Hart plays accountant, Calvin Joyner. Having been the most popular kid in high school, Calvin constantly feels disappointed with the way his life has turned out as an adult. However, his routinely life is disrupted after he reconnects with an old pal through Facebook, luring him into the complicated world of international espionage – with comic results.
1. The Accountant
In this action-packed movie, Ben Affleck plays the autistic accountant, Chris Wolff. Because of his condition, Wolff admits that he is unable to pick up on social cues and has trouble understanding what other people are thinking. This leads him to get highly absorbed in his tasks, especially those that are mathematical in nature. Wolff’s autism allows him to develop superhero-like math skills, leading him to snag many high-profile clients, including dangerous ones.
In this movie, Wolff teaches us that accounting can be both dangerous and exciting.
Who are your favorite movie accountants? Did we miss any number-crunchers we need to include?
