Portraying the accountant in popular culture: Reflections on The Accountant (2016) movie

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

This chapter examines how the accountant has been portrayed in popular culture. Through the media of music, film, fiction and jokes, the accountant has been stereotyped and often satirized. This chapter explores some of the features of this portrayal, from the boring beancounter to the corrupt professional. We witness therefore how the accountant is often the subject of ridicule and contempt in popular culture. In particular, the chapter focuses on the presentation of the accountant in movies. Film is a powerful form of communication in popular culture with an often global reach. How the accountant is portrayed in film can therefore be a critical factor in establishing the accountant’s identity in the public conscious. Consequently, this chapter will consider the image of the accountant presented in the 2016 Hollywood blockbuster, The Accountant, a movie in which the hero of the drama is characterized as an action man accountant with autism.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHandbook of Accounting in Society
EditorsHendrik Vollmer
PublisherEdward Elgar Publishing
Chapter18
Pages253-264
ISBN (Electronic)9781803922003
ISBN (Print)9781803921990
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 May 2024

Publication series

NameResearch Handbooks on Accounting
PublisherEdward Elgar Publishing Ltd.

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • accountant
  • autism
  • beancounter
  • movie
  • popular culture
  • stereotype

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