Starring: Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway and Rene Russo
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Rated: PG 13
Running time: 2 hrs 2 mins
Warner Bros
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
I just turned 55. Which means, hopefully in the next decade, I will be able to retire. I sometimes wonder what I’ll do. I’ve actually seen myself as the old man who tears tickets at the movie theatre during the day. I know I like to stay busy.
Ben (DeNiro, looking much younger than his 72 years) is a widower with nothing to do. He spends his days taking Tai Chi in the park and doing his best to avoid Patty (always great to see Linda Lavin on screen), a woman he had dinner with five months ago and has since tried to avoid. One day he comes upon a flyer reading SENIOR INTERNS WANTED. Intrigued, he applies for the position. The job is with a hip new clothing company, with everyone in charge appearing to be 15. During one interview the person asks Ben what his college major was, and then rudely adds, “Do you remember?” Ben gets the gig, along with a couple oldsters, and finds himself assigned as the personal intern to the company boss, the ambitious Jules (Hathaway). His only instructions in dealing with her is that she hates people that don’t blink. A hands on person, Jules at first has nothing for Ben to do so he keeps himself busy helping others at work, whether it’s teaching one of the young men how to dress properly for work or trying to fix a broken office romance. Eventually Jules calls on Ben and his new career is on.
A hit or miss comedy, “The Intern” creeps along at the beginning. It also has a lot of tropes that are common in films like this. Hard working mom. Adorable kid she leaves at home with her husband. Husband who feels ignored. Thankfully writer/director Meyers is an old hand at films like this, and she manages to salvage the film in the second act, which is made up of some well written set pieces that make you laugh out loud. I must also give Meyers credit for avoiding an ending I thought was telegraphed in the first 30 minutes of the film.
The cast seem to be having a great time. DeNiro is his usual charming best and Hathaway takes what could have been a one-dimensional character and breathes life into her. Russo lights up the screen whenever she’s on it. The supporting cast is just as good, with special mentions going to Adam Devine, Zach Pearlman and Christina Scherer. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Anders Holm pretty much brings the film to a screeching halt every time he shows up as Jules’ husband, Matt. His flat delivery and sleep-walking tone makes you understand why Jules works long hours.
With a summer of dinosaurs, Minions and super heroes behind us, you might feel like you need a little laughter to start the fall. You can’t go wrong here.