Finance
‘The Accountant 2’ Review: Finance Takes a Backseat to Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal’s Budding Bromance
Sometimes life hands you a case of the blues that can only be cured by watching Ben Affleck line dance while doing his best to convey autism with his facial expressions. When those days come, “The Accountant 2” is the movie for you.
I’m not sure who was clamoring for a sequel to Gavin O’Connor’s 2016 film, which starred Affleck as Christian Wolff, an accountant on the autism spectrum who un-cooks books for criminal organizations while doubling as an action hero with perfect marksmanship and brutal hand-to-hand combat skills. It’s the rare movie that deserves criticism for not focusing enough on the intricacies of accounting, as the idea of Cartels turning to freelancers to solve their financial problems was a lot more interesting than the knockoff Jason Bourne that Christian was eventually turned into. But it told a complete story (some would say “and then some”), leaving most of us content to see Christian ride off into the sunset in his Airstream knowing that he’d keep telling mob bosses which thieves to whack for years to come.
When “The Accountant 2” begins, Christian is still living off the grid. But when Ray King (JK Simmons) — the retired FBI financial crimes boss who identified him in the first place — is murdered, Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) knows she needs to bring in The Accountant to finish his last investigation. King’s former protege and blackmail subject who took his job after he retired to a life of private investigating, Medina has never met Wolff face-to-face. But she knows that the only way to contact him is by calling a neurological research center in Hartford and speaking in code to a clueless receptionist, while the real shadow receptionist listens in and uses her army of gifted autistic children to track down the caller’s location and get in touch about booking The Accountant. Sometimes, it really is that simple!
Turns out, Ray had taken a case helping a family of Mexican immigrants find their missing child, who they believed was being held captive in Juarez. Christian agrees to help Medina finish the job, which involves investigating a human trafficking ring that is laundering money through a pizza factory (2016 MAGA conspiracy theorists rejoice!). But when he realizes this job will require more than accounting, he brings in his brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) for some extra muscle.
A fast-talking, puppy-loving hitman who appeared in the first film but becomes a true co-lead in the sequel, Braxton is shocked to get a call from his brother. After spending years of his life trying to have a relationship with Christian, he feels incredibly neglected after countless false attempts at connection. He agrees to take the job for his usual rate, but long-simmering tensions and his frustrations with Christian’s inability to show conventional forms of affection soon bubble to the surface.
If there’s one thing “The Accountant 2” deserves credit for, it’s figuring out that an autistic Ben Affleck is simply not enough to carry an action movie on his own. Christian Wolff might actually be one of Affleck’s better acting jobs in recent years, but he works far better as a foil than a leading man. Bernthal shows up with buckets of charm to share the heavy lifting, making Affleck’s accountant seem more sympathetic and competent by comparison. And with the two men enjoying equal time in the spotlight, the film’s moments of levity seem more like brotherly razzing than cruel jabs at a disabled man.
The human trafficking storyline that gives the film its structure is generic bad-guy-of-the-week stuff at best, and it’s hard to get that invested in the fates of a family we’ve never spent any time with just because J.K. Simmons apparently befriended them between movies. That shortcoming almost works in the sequel’s favor, though, as it prevents it from turning into too much of an action movie until the final sequence.
At its heart, “The Accountant 2” is a story of brothers working through their drama through drunken nights at honky tonk bars and deep conversations on the roof of an Airstream. I’m still not convinced this franchise exists for any reason other than Affleck being jealous that Matt Damon won the coin toss to decide who got to play the math genius in “Good Will Hunting,” but it manages to offer more heart and more laughs the second time around.
Grade: C+
“The Accountant 2” premiered at SXSW 2025. Amazon MGM will release it in theaters on Friday, April 25.
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Written by Jitendra Parashar at The Motley Fool Canada
Dividend investing can be one of the simplest ways to build long-term wealth while creating a steady stream of passive income. But in my opinion, a good dividend stock is about much more than just a high yield. Beyond dividend yield, investors should also look for companies with durable businesses, reliable cash flows, and a history of rewarding shareholders consistently over time.
That’s exactly why many investors turn to financial stocks. Banks and asset managers often generate recurring earnings through lending, investing, and wealth management activities, allowing them to support stable dividend payments even during uncertain market conditions.
Two Canadian financial stocks that stand out right now are AGF Management (TSX:AGF.B) and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Both companies offer attractive dividends backed by solid financial performance and long-term growth strategies. In this article, I’ll explain why these two financial stocks could be worth considering for income-focused investors right now.
AGF Management stock continues to reward shareholders
AGF Management is a Toronto-based asset manager with businesses across investments, private markets, and wealth management. Through these divisions, the company offers equity, fixed income, alternative, and multi-asset investment strategies to retail, institutional, and private wealth clients.
Following a 59% rally over the last 12 months, AGF stock currently trades at $16.67 per share with a market cap of roughly $1.1 billion. At current levels, the stock offers a quarterly dividend yield of 3.3%.
One reason behind AGF’s strong recent performance is its increasingly diversified business model. The company has expanded its investment capabilities and broadened its geographic reach, helping it perform well across varying market environments.
In the first quarter of its fiscal 2026 (ended in February), AGF posted free cash flow of $36 million, up 14% year over year (YoY), driven mainly by higher management, advisory, and administration fees. These fees climbed to $92.5 million as demand for the company’s investment offerings strengthened.
AGF has also been focusing on expanding its alternative investment business and introducing new investment products. With strong cash generation and growing demand for alternative investments, AGF Management looks well-positioned to continue rewarding investors over the long term.
TD Bank stock remains a dependable dividend giant
Toronto-Dominion Bank, or TD Bank, is one of North America’s largest banks, serving millions of customers through its Canadian banking, U.S. retail banking, wealth management and insurance, and wholesale banking operations.
Finance
Martha Aguirre, former El Paso ISD interim superintendent, resigns as CFO as district finds ‘key financial challenges’
El Paso Independent School District Chief Financial Officer Martha Aguirre, who served as interim superintendent last year, resigned this week as the district said it had discovered “key financial challenges.”
The district issued a news release late Thursday afternoon that lacked details but indicated that a recent review had raised questions about the district’s fund balances, a key indicator of financial health.
“Through this process, key financial challenges were identified that must be addressed prior to closing out the 2025-26 school year including a current budget shortfall that is being actively addressed ahead of the district’s final financial presentation to the Board of Trustees in June,” the news release said.
A CFO is charged with developing a school district’s budget and overseeing its finance department. The EPISD Board of Trustees must adopt a budget for the 2026-27 school year by the end of the fiscal year June 30. The operating budget for the current school year is $547 million.
EPISD Deputy Superintendent David Bates will oversee the budget while the district searches for an interim and permanent CFO, district officials said in a statement.
EPISD Board President Leah Hanany said trustees were notified about Aguirre’s resignation this week. She said the district plans to give the public more information on the current year’s budget during a board meeting later this month.
“The board was also notified of a potential budget shortfall for the 2025 budget, but we don’t have final numbers yet. My understanding is that we are still primed to pass a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026-27 in June,” Hanany said in a statement.
Aguirre could not be reached for comment. EPISD’s CFO makes $148,200 to $209,900 a year, according to the district’s administrative pay plan.
She served as EPISD’s interim superintendent from June to December 2025 after the district’s former superintendent, Diana Sayavedra, resigned under pressure from the board. She returned to her position as CFO when Brian Lusk was hired as EPISD’s new permanent superintendent.
Aguirre’s resignation comes amid an uncertain budget season after a state funding calculation error tied to school property tax breaks caused EPISD to lose out on $17 million in projected revenue. In late April, EPISD officials estimated it would cause the district’s spending to exceed its revenue next year by $10 million.
The district is also considering calling for a bond election in November to upgrade its aging campuses as part of the larger 2024 Destination District Redesign initiative to close schools and improve the ones that remain open.
El Paso Teachers’ Association President Norma De La Rosa said Aguirre’s departure was unexpected.
“We’re right in the middle of the committee meetings for a possible bond and getting ready to get that budget to the June board meeting for next school year. So, to say that I’m highly surprised is an understatement,” De La Rosa told El Paso Matters.
Aguirre started working with the district in 1996 as a general clerk, according to a video published by the district.
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