Rita Blackburn (Jean Smart) is discovered in her apartment, tragically killed from a gunshot wound to the forehead. Released in 2016, Gavin O'Connor's “The Accountant”, is an American action-thriller written by Bill Dubuque. A cult favorite among fans of action-thrillers who lean toward genius lone-wolf protagonists, the film follows Chris Wolff (Ben Affleck), a highly skilled forensic accountant. Chris, who was diagnosed with autism as a child, is brilliant with numbers and unmatched in combat.
Usually working for illicit organizations such as cartels and money launderers, Chris gets hired to look into the discrepancies of a legitimate robotics company, “Living Robotics”. Rita Blackburn holds a managerial position at the company and is the sister of CEO Lamar Blackburn (John Lithgow). She reaches out to Chris Wolff after an in-house accountant informs her of possible accounting irregularities.
A sequel to “The Accountant” is set to release in U.S. theaters on April 25, 2025. Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and J.K. Simmons return to their roles in the highly-anticipated action drama.
What happened to the sister in The Accountant?
Rita Blackburn is found dead on a sofa, with a fatal gunshot wound to her forehead.
Rita is portrayed as the more compassionate sibling who’s concerned about the corporation’s integrity. She appears to be visibly shocked upon seeing the extensive financial calculations covering the walls of Chris’ temporary office. Managing to analyze 15 years of data in such a short span of time is unheard of. Rita questions Chris on his findings and he answers with a crisp, “$61, 679,000 and some change.” When asked about any guesses on the perpetrator of this fraud Chris doesn’t have any.
Rita calmly requests a report and leaves the room despite the gravity of the situation. The scene leaves the audience with ambiguity. Was Rita complicit in the embezzlement or was she entirely oblivious to it?
CFO Ed Chilton (Andy Umberger) who visibly attempted to discourage Chris with the complicated nature of their accounting system is coerced to administer a fatal insulin dose. Lamar Blackburn halts any further investigation citing his best friend’s death, a death he himself orchestrated. However, the threat of Living Robotics and assassins follow Dana (Anna Kendrick) and Chris as they become the next targets.
During a conversation with Dana, Chris realizes that Living Robotics has been laundering money to artificially raise their stock prices. Dana’s deduction that Rita is likely taking the company public hints toward an upcoming high-stakes IPO that could be threatened by the embezzlement.
Chris seeks out Rita for answers and instead encounters the assassin who forced Ed Chilton’s death as he’s leaving. When he arrives at her apartment, he finds Rita on a sofa, a fatal gunshot wound to her forehead. With both Ed and Rita eliminated, Lamar Blackburn is the primary suspect behind the financial fraud and the assassinations that follow.
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Who plays the sister, Rita, in The Accountant?
Jean Smart, winner of 6 Primetime Emmys, plays the role of Rita Blackburn in “The Accountant.” Born on September 13, 1951, in Seattle she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Washington. Smart’s professional debut is credited to the “Oregon Shakespeare Festival”, where she performed in the renowned “Much Ado About Nothing” and “A Moon for the Misbegotten.”
She has also worked with regional theatre companies such as Seattle Repertory Theatre, ACT, and Alliance Theatre. During this time, she starred in productions such as “Equus,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “A History of the American Film.” She made her Broadway debut in 1981, portraying Marlene Dietrick in “Piaf”.
Her transition to television led her to play Charlene Frazier in the sitcom “Designing Women (1986).” Following her departure from the show, she has taken up more diverse and challenging roles including that of the serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the TV movie “Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story (1992).”
Smart’s extensive filmography boasts of roles in movies such as, “The Odd Couple II (1998),” “Guinevere (1999),” “Hope Springs (2012),” and “Life Itself (2018).” She is a prominent figure in the entertainment industry and has gained critical acclaim for appearing in TV series such as “Fargo (2014),” “Legion (2017),” and “Mare of Easttown (2021).”
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FAQs about The Accountant
A. No. Rita was found deceased in the first movie, The Accountant.
A. The film is currently set for a theatrical release. However, it will likely become available across streaming services following its theater run.
A. Director Gavin O’Connor recently confirmed plans for a third movie in the series.
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