Go and Tell Everyone About 'Candyman'
‘Candyman’ (2021) builds upon the original 1992 film by presenting the myth of Candyman not only as an example of black pain, but as an opportunity for black vengeance.


This followup to 2016’s The Accountant opens in a bingo hall. Semi-retired deputy director of FinCen Raymond King (JK Simmons) pursues a case. He hopes Anais, an assassin, will help him find a missing Salvadoran boy, but she declines. King’s gunned down in the restroom, and when his protege Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) identifies the body, she spots a message scrawled on his forearm— ‘find the accountant.’The accountant in question is Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck), who’s neurodivergent. We know this because at a dating event, he bores women with tax advice. He also places his breakfast foods in neat stacks and has no friends. He’s not close to his brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) either but having an assassin in the family is often useful.
The women in this movie (Medina, Anais, and Justine, who works with autistic children) are allowed to be strong characters and are key to the storyline. For example, Anais turns out to have a direct connection with the missing boy. But the women’s stories always feel secondary to the movie’s intense focus on the relationship between the two brothers, who somewhat disturbingly grow closer by killing in tandem.

When an old acquaintance is murdered, Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax, to help. In partnership with Marybeth Medina, they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.
‘Candyman’ (2021) builds upon the original 1992 film by presenting the myth of Candyman not only as an example of black pain, but as an opportunity for black vengeance.
Despite its glaring flaws, First Girl I Loved is not entirely undeserving of a watch. For people who can handle the more difficult aspects of the story and graphic scenes, it is worth looking into. It’s not a film worthy of rewatch, but it may still resonate somewhat with those who need a story like this. It is a genuine, if flimsy attempt at a coming-of-age tale. Were the film to be directed by someone with experiences more similar to Anne, it would likely be more powerful--as it is, it feels like a man’s perspective of what it means to come to terms with your identity as a lesbian.
An incredible documentary showcasing the difficulties of living in a crumbling Rust Belt city.