The Intern (12)
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway & Rene Russo
Running time: 121 min
70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin.
Ben (De Niro) is a widower who applies for the position as “Senior Intern” and who is awarded the position. His new work colleagues offer him sympathy though, as he soon finds out, because he will be working exclusively for Jules Ostin (Hathaway), the company’s owner.
The Intern is a romantic comedy that is sadly low on romance and has very little comedy. Robert De Niro is on fine form as the elderly gentleman who is trying new things to keep his mind occupied. Indeed, it is his portrayal that is the main saving grace in this mish-mash of a film.
Anne Hathaway portrays a young female business owner/wife/parent that simply has just too much to do and won’t take a break. At times her character comes across as self-centred, rude, a control freak and annoying and it can be hard for the audience to have any real sympathy for her. Sadly, Hathaway’s portrayal is as exciting as watching paint peeling! Her dramatic scale in acting ranges from smiling constantly to a number of very fake tears; all of which are out of the “Acting for Dummies” textbook!
The script has some touching moments for Ben as we see how an elder person struggling to adapt and remain relevant to a much younger generation. That said, there are too many instances where this does not work. There are a number of scenes; one a VERY farcical scene added purely to inject some humour (which sadly is too well sign posted and just makes the audience cringe and does nothing to further plot) that fall flat.
There is another scene based in a hotel bedroom that is a little creepy and weird more than anything. Indeed, the audience that attended my screening were actually physically squirming in their seats at what was being played out.
The Intern is most certainly not a laugh out loud riot of a movie. It has a number of charming and touching scenes, but sadly these are forgotten when compared to the other, more awkward situations and scenarios.
This is a film that had the talent on paper, but didn’t have the script to back it.
2 out of 5 Nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
Nerd Comments