Numbers obtained from IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes on October 1, 2015.
My rating IMDb Rotten Tomatoes
Critics Audience Critics Audience
7.5/10 51/100 7.5/10 57% 79%
Imagine being a new intern in a start-up that sells clothes online. You’ll have to learn the rhythm of the company, your boss’ strict routine and get acquainted with your new co-workers. Now imagine doing all that when you’re 70. That’s what Ben Whittaker (Robert DeNiro) decides to do when he realizes something is missing is his life of retirement. His new boss is Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway), the CEO of the company, who has such a successful business she’s being swallowed by it. At first reluctant, Jules starts to accept Ben as her intern and a friendship is developed.
Written and directed by Nancy Meyers (also known for The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated, etc.), The Intern is one of those feel-good comedies and it’s specially funny thanks to Robert DeNiro’s character. Ben doesn’t complain, is hard-working, kind, polite, a gentleman actually (he even carries a handkerchief). In other words, he’s almost unreal, which is fun to watch.
Jules, on the other hand, is a more realistic character, with the dilemmas women face when they are successful and their husbands turn into stay-home dads to raise their children. Having said that, this part of the movie is the one that annoyed me the most: in almost every dialogue possible we see Jules complaining about how unfair it is for women to be successful at work. Yes, we know and we got the message the first time she said that. I don’t think there’s a need to keep explaining to the audience what’s happening to her every time she and Ben are having a conversation.
Robert DeNiro and Anne Hathaway are great in the movie (except, of course, if you hate Anne Hathaway for any unknown reason, as a lot of people do; since I’m actually a fan of hers, it’s always nice to see her movies). The rest of the cast is also really good. I would only make an exception for Jules’ husband Matt (Anders Holm). I didn’t like the character and I didn’t think the couple had chemistry.
Therefore, it’s a delightful comedy and a good way to spend 2 hours.
