Review of The Intern (2015) by Bobby N — 15 Jan 2016

A ladies-friendly and gentle comedy, The Intern is a predictable, unrealistic and overly sentimental delivery which hugely, if not mostly, relies on the presence of its two leading characters. A so-so melodramatic, feministic story is told in a way which would neither annoy you, nor amaze you, but it would just work fine for a calm lazy evening with your beloved half during the cold winter.

Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) is a retired successful businessman who cannot simply enjoy the calm life of being a pensioner and decides to participate in a senior-intern program. Soon gets assigned to be the assistant to a young founder (Anne Hathaway) of a super successful start-up in the field of online sales. Slowly, both of them have to learn how to work together, but also to learn to be different persons.

Needless to say, the level of predictability, the lack of any climax in the story development and the completely unrealistic depiction of what the post-modern start-up corporate world is, damage the movie's chances to be taken seriously. Luckily for director Nancy Meyers, the presence of Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro and the formidable chemistry between them somehow saves the movie from being a complete flop and actually turns it into something passable.

As a whole, The Intern could have been a much better movie, given the record of Nancy Meyers (Something's Gotta Give), but in the end the flaws in her overall approach towards the story is partially compensated by the actors and the feel good final feeling. Watchable during a flight or in a cold winter evening with your better half next to you.