Action movies are all about problem solving. The hero (or villain) gets cornered and has to fight, shoot, or explode their way out. It is a formula that defined the muscle-bound action stars of the Reagan era—think Commando, Cobra, Red Scorpion—where brawn equaled brains, and the solution was always more firepower.
But in 1988, “Die Hard” rewrote the rules. Suddenly, our hero was a dad-bodded everyman, barefoot and bleeding, relying on cleverness and grit rather than just brute force. John McClane was still tough, but his power came as much from his brain as his biceps.
That shift paved the way for the 21st-century action hero—smart, adaptable, and increasingly grounded. After 9/11, the genre recalibrated around realism and precision, with zeitgeist defining hits like “The Bourne Identity” pushing franchises like “James Bond” toward tactical grit over suave machismo. The world felt more complicated, and its action heroes needed to follow suit.
It is a trend that continues in “The Accountant 2,” Gavin O’Connor’s follow-up to his 2016 sleeper hit, which opens at The Triplex this week. Ben Affleck returns as Christian Wolff, a brilliant autistic forensic accountant who launders money for criminal organizations and knows how to dismantle a team of hitmen as efficiently as he balances a ledger. This time, he is teaming up with his estranged brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal), a fellow assassin with a slightly more direct, but equally effective, approach.
Like “Bourne,” “Bond,” and the “John Wick” movies, “The Accountant” taps into the thrill of competence. These characters are good at what they do—scary good—and that is the appeal. In an era where it often feels like no one knows what they are doing, there is something deeply satisfying about watching someone who does.
The beats of these movies hit like the clicks of a Rubik’s Cube—each moment a satisfying step toward an inevitable solution. It is not about surprise. It is about watching someone cut through the chaos with clarity. And in a messy, unpredictable world, that kind of precision and confidence can be a bigger draw than seeing things go boom.
Now Playing
“Misericordia”
A simmering French neo-noir.
Wayward Jérémie causes waves with his return to his small French village in Director Alain Guiraudie’s “Misericordia,” playing as part of our Limited Engagement series starting on April 25. Following the death of his former mentor, Jérémie integrates himself into the lives of his widow, son, and the oddly cheerful local priest. A simmering neo-noir, “Misericordia” builds up an atmosphere of eroticism and violence until it all boils over in unexpected ways.
Starts Friday.
“Blue Velvet”
The final entry in our tribute to David Lynch.
We end our series “Time to Wake Up: A Tribute to David Lynch” with “Blue Velvet,” the neo-noir mystery that cemented Lynch’s surreal cinematic universe. A severed ear in an abandoned field sends college student Jeffrey Beaumont on the search for answers in a dark, twisted world occupied by beautiful lounge singer Dorothy Valens (Isabella Rossellini) and sexually depraved psychopath Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).
April 26, at 8 p.m.
“Lars and the Real Girl”
A heartbreaking comedy with Ryan Gosling.
We end our series “Down the Rabbit Hole” with “Lars and the Real Girl,” Director Craig Gilespie’s movie about a community coming together to support a young man (Ryan Gosling) suffering through a mental health crisis. When introvert Lars (Gosling) finally brings home a girlfriend, his family is shocked to learn that she is a life-size plastic doll. On the advice of a doctor (Patricia Clarkson), his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion, forcing everyone to step outside of their comfort zone.
After the movie, Jane Tillman, Ph.D., the Evelyn Stefansson Nef director of the Erikson Institute for Education and Research of the Austen Riggs Center, joins us for a conversation about the film and the ways a community can come together to help someone suffering from delusions.
Part of “Down the Rabbit Hole: Paranoia, Delusion, and Recovery in Film,” sponsored by the Austen Riggs Center.
April 27, at 4 p.m.
“The Ballad of Wallis Island”
A bittersweet tribute to the power of music with Carey Mulligan.
Charles, an eccentric lottery winner (Tim Key) who lives alone on a remote island, has one dream: to get his favorite band back together. Fantasy turns to reality when the bandmates/former lovers (Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden) accept his offer to play a private concert, setting the stage for a reunion that brings old tensions to the surface. An absolute charmer that was a breakout hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, don’t miss your chance to see “The Ballad Of Wallis Island” on the big screen!
“A Minecraft Movie”
A hilarious take on the beloved video game.
Director Jared Hess (“Napoleon Dynamite”) takes you inside one of the most popular video games of all time in “A Minecraft Movie”! When four misfits find themselves pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld, a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination, they will have to master their building abilities while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black).
Coming Soon
“Thunderbolts*”
A group of disillusioned mercenaries and would-be superheroes embark on a dangerous mission that forces them to confront the darkest corners of their past in Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*.” Director Jake Schreier (“Beef,” “Robot And Frank”) creates a Dirty Dozen for the superhero era with an offbeat team that includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Harbour, Lewis Pullman, and more.
Starts May 2.
“Bob Trevino Likes It”
A reminder of the ways that the digital age can bring people together as much as pull them apart, “Bob Trevino Likes It” is a heartwarming comedy about a young woman (Barbie Ferreira) who, after being estranged from her father, finds a connection with a man who shares his name (John Leguizamo). A celebration of the unlikely relationships that can provide the greatest rewards, “Bob Trevino Likes It” is the perfect comedy for our current climate.
Part of our Limited Engagement series, “Bob Trevino Likes It” plays for one week starting on May 2.
“On Becoming a Guinea Fowl”
On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula stumbles across the body of her uncle. As funeral proceedings begin around them, she and her cousins bring to light the buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family, in filmmaker Rungano Nyoni’s surreal and vibrant reckoning with the lies we tell ourselves.
Part of our Limited Engagement series, “On Becoming A Guinea Fowl” plays for one week starting on May 2.
April 26, at 8 p.m.
“Fahrenheit 451”
The Triplex is teaming up with the Great Barrington Public Libraries for a new series celebrating banned books where we will discuss their impact, legacy, and just what it is that scares people enough to censor them.
We kick things off with the banned book about banning books, “Fahrenheit 451”! Pick up a copy of Ray Bradbury’s classic dystopian novel from the Mason Library, and then join us at The Triplex on May 4 at 4 p.m. for a free screening of François Truffaut’s adaptation starring Oskar Werner and Julie Christie!
May 4, at 4 p.m.
“Soundtracks By Randall Poster”
Explore the art of the soundtrack with one of the best to ever make them! Legendary music supervisor Randall Poster comes to The Triplex for “Soundtracks By Randall Poster,” a special series celebrating his iconic career, from May 9 to 11.
Randall will be in residence to discuss working with directors like Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Sofia Coppola, Richard Linklater, and more to create some of the most influential soundtracks and needle drops of the 21st century.
We will hear how his soundtracks helped create the worlds of “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “School of Rock,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and discuss why music-filled movies like “Somewhere,” “American Graffiti,” and “Mean Streets” continue to inspire him.
May 9 to 11.
