I see a lot of films every year that desensitize me. I don't hide that fact and I know it's not necessarily a good thing, but it is what it is.
Sometimes though, among the violent, gory, curse-laden, over-sexualized films that enter the theater each year, we have films that are there to tell us about life. To remind us that we live in a real world, and not all of these fantasy ones that, while they may be more interesting than ours, are ultimately destined to only remain on the screen.
The Intern was a film not really on my radar other than the fact that it was pretty much the only new release this weekend before we enter an insanely busy month of October. It looked enjoyable enough from the trailers, but it seemed like it would result in a film that you forget as soon as you leave the theater.
Now, I'm not claiming that The Intern made me re-evaluate my life, nor will it be THE film that I remember at year's end. But it was a film that I found immediately refreshing in its simplicity to just be what it is and one that was quite the surprise in a month that has been filled of several disappointments.
"So I started a colony on a different planet, and then came back here to be a fashion designer!"
Right off the bat, The Intern's strongest benefit is the chemistry that Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro share. It's not a romantic chemistry or anything as awkward as that, nor is it really a fatherly chemistry. Instead it feels like a very real-life, genuine friendship between a man with years of corporate experience and an ambitious woman trying to keep her head above water. They play off each other well, and the film highlights each actor's own traits (i.e. De Niro's highly expressive face). Being still quite green to the corporate world (not even 2 years yet), I found a lot of the advice/lessons the filmed shared to be worthwhile, but I also enjoyed it for being honest. The Intern is a film about life and handling what it throws at you and the scenarios it creates are realistic, the conversations aren't artificial, and the film really exists as life does: it just happens. For some films this would be a bore, but The Intern has some quality side characters that add humor to the mix and the human drama throughout, while I'd argue it got over complicated (and the film is about 15 minutes too long because of it), isn't overdone. It's real.
Damn youths!
"And then Matt Damon was on this planet..." "Jules, I don't think this actually happened."
The Intern tells of Jules Ostin (Hathaway) who is a young fashionista who very recently found success in her online company. As I mentioned before, it all feels very genuine, like this is a real company/idea/time frame and Hathaway is a perfect fit for the role as a character we come to really love and admire. Remind me why the whole world ever hated Hathaway at some point? The company hosts a senior intern program meant to be seen as an outreach program for senior citizens. It's here that I found the film a bit odd, but I think that plot aspect was really just to set up the film itself so I give it mostly a pass (unless senior interns are a real thing?). Ben (De Niro) applies and gets the position, quickly becoming a favorite around the office and an example of a true man, equivalent to Hathway's portrayal of a true woman who has found great success. Early on we learn that the board of Jules' company wants a more tenured CEO at the helm as the company is growing at a rapid clip and they aren't sure she is up to the task. Over the course of the next couple hours there are several other plot developments, but I applaud the film for not ending the way I thought it would and the ending they chose is directly in line with what the rest of the film preaches.
Truthfully, I don't have many criticisms about The Intern other than some minor points in the CONS section below. It won't win any awards, I don't think it will be anyone's favorite film at the end of the year, and it doesn't bring a whole lot new to the table. But, much like the last scene of the film, I found it to be a deep breath of fresh air that helped this newbie to corporate America to remember that when the going does eventually get rough, and it does for all of us, that life goes on and you do the best with it that you can.
CONS:
The initial premise seemed a little unrealistic
Overlong by about 15 minutes. There are some complications of the plot that could have been scrapped and some dialogues that could have been shortened
Romance between De Niro and Rene Russo is a bit pointless
Some actors are better than others
PROS:
Hathaway and De Niro have great chemistry as friends and are really strong anchors for the film
The film feels genuine and realistic and the conversations/relationships that people have in this corporate workplace environment are well demonstrated
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