With the critical success of his sequel film The Accountant 2, director Gavin O’Connor returns to the spotlight after a five-year hiatus. While his last directed feature film was in 2020, O’Connor makes a remarkable return with the Ben Affleck-led action thriller. The Accountant 2 premiered at the 2025 SXSW on March 8, 2025, to generally favorable reviews from critics and audiences.
With a theatrical release scheduled for April 25, 2025, The Accountant 2 is one of the year’s most anticipated films. However, with much buzz about O’Connor’s direction and success with a sequel, it’s important to note this isn’t the first time the filmmaker has created a masterpiece. Over the years, O’Connor has shown versatility, working on projects across genres and with several top talents. Beyond his The Accountant films, these four other critical masterpieces prove that Gavin O’Connor is largely underrated in Hollywood.
Tumbleweeds
The 1999 Tumbleweeds was Gavin O’Connor’s sophomore feature film. He had made his directorial debut four years earlier with the independent drama Comfortably Numb (1995). The comedy-drama is centered around a mother-daughter relationship set against the backdrop of the American West. The story follows the journey of Mary Jo Walker, a single mother played by Janet McTeer.
Mary Jo is constantly moving from one town to another in search of a fresh start, hoping to escape her troubled past and provide a better life for her daughter, Ava (Kimberly J. Brown). However, as they move to a small town in San Diego, Mary Jo reconnects with and falls in love with a long-distance truck driver, Jack Ranson. Interestingly, director Gavin O’Connor played the character of Jack Ranson. Like her previous relationships, Mary Jo’s relationship with Jack deteriorates, forcing her to confront her own fears and insecurities when Ava refuses to move away again. Actress Janet McTeer received her first Oscar nomination for her performance.
Miracle
Gavin O’Connor followed Tumbleweeds with the 2004 sports drama film Miracle. With a cast led by Kurt Russell, the film was based on the true story. Its plot centered around the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s remarkable victory at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The film follows Kurt Russell’s character, Herb Brooks, who’s tasked with leading a group of amateur and college players to compete at the tournament.
Brooks, known for his tough and unorthodox coaching methods, pushes the team to their physical and mental limits, uniting them despite their differences. The heart of Miracle is the team’s unexpected triumph, culminating in their iconic “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union. Dubbed the underdog, the American team faced a Soviet Union team that had won nearly every Olympic gold medal for years. Miracle is a story of perseverance, teamwork, and the power of belief in the face of overwhelming odds.
Warrior
Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton led Gavin O’Connor’s 2011 martial arts sports drama Warrior. The film centered around two estranged brothers, Tommy (Hardy) and Brendan (Edgerton), who find themselves involved in mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting for different reasons. When a $5 million winner-takes-all mixed martial arts tournament is fixed, the brothers eventually face each other in the ultimate match. Tommy, a former Marine with a troubled past, returns home and enters a high-stakes MMA tournament to win for the family of a fallen corps friend who died in a war.
Brendan, a high school teacher and former fighter, participates in the tournament to save his home from foreclosure. Warrior explores themes of family, redemption, and forgiveness. Nick Nolte plays the brother’s abusive and estranged father, Paddy, who seeks to reconcile with them after years of neglect. Nolte received an Oscar nomination for his performance. Although Warrior bombed at the Box Office, it was a critical success and still holds an 84% aggregate score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.
The Way Back
After their successful collaboration in The Accountant, Gavin O’Connor reunited with Ben Affleck in the 2020 sports drama The Way Back. To date, The Way Back is still considered one of O’Connor’s best movies. The movie suffered at the Box Office largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was a critical success and a must-watch for anyone who appreciates a good comeback storyline. In The Way Back, Ben Affleck played Jack Cunningham, a former high school basketball star struggling with alcoholism and grief.
Jack is given a chance at redemption when he’s offered the head coach position for his alma mater’s struggling basketball team. Although initially reluctant, he accepts the role, hoping to regain direction in his life. As Jack works with the team, he begins confronting his own demons while helping his players overcome their own challenges. Shockingly, despite these amazing movies, O’Connor has yet to receive a nod from the Academy for his direction. Gavin O’Connor remains one of Hollywood’s underrated and underappreciated filmmakers.
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