MOVIE REVIEW: THE INTERN (2015)

From IMDB:

Storyline

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.

Rating: PG-13 (for some suggestive content and brief strong language)
Genre: Comedy
Directed By: Nancy Meyers
Written By: Nancy Meyers
In Theaters: Sep 25, 2015 Wide
Runtime: 2 hr. 1 min.
Warner Bros. Pictures - Official Site

THE INTERN OPENS WORLDWIDE THIS 24th OF SEPTEMBER. IF IT DOESN'T, CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHEN.

This is Ben Whittaker, he's bored and looking to fill his time with something. ©Warner Bros Pictures

So the first time Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway get to work together is in a comedy...

To be honest I didn't know this movie even existed until about a month ago I think it was, and the only time I saw the trailer was when it showed in the previews when I was watching Hitman: Agent 47. I think. It seemed like an entertaining movie. It looked like it might even be a fun movie to watch. I mean who doesn't like Anne Hathaway in a comedy, right? And who doesn't enjoy watching Robert De Niro? Even when it's a bad movie it's still a joy to watch the man work, right?

Anyway, this comedy revolves around Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro), he's a 70 year old man who has been retired for a while and fairly recently lost his wife of 42 years. His only son lives far enough from him that he needs to fly out to see him and his family. Since his wife passed on he's been filling his time with travelling but when he's not he's been doing everything he can think of including learning to speak mandarin but he's still finding that he has a lot of time to waste. So one fine day while out and about and picking a few things at the market he spots a flier for a Senior Citizen Internship Program at an online fashion retailer that's just taken up residence in his neighborhood. The company is one of those new startups that's all the rage these days and their request for a resume is in the form of a video to be sent to them via Youtube or Vimeo. Not being all that up to date with technology he calls up his grandson to ask a couple of things and before long he's got his video resume made and sent it along to AboutTheFit.com, the company that's looking for Senior Interns. 

Everyone loves Ben. And no one makes that much fun of him when he doesn't know how things work or isn't hip to things. ©Warner Bros Pictures

Before long Ben get's a call to come on by for an interview. There he goes through a series of interviews with several people who seeing as how they're in the startup line don't ask him anything he's never been asked before. Interviews over and now he's an intern at AboutTheFit along with two other seniors and one not senior young man. The first day at work they are met by Jason (Adam DeVine) who shows them around the main office and then leads them to their work space and tells them that there'll be an email waiting for them which will tell them where or who they'll be working for. Ben finds out that he'll be working with Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway), the boss and founder of AboutTheFit.com. Ben has actually been paired up with Jules by her right hand man played by Andrew Rannells who after finding out that Ben was such a hit with the people that interviewed him would be the perfect person to work with Jules. She hates the idea but goes along with it anyway.

So begins their working relationship which at first has him doing absolutely nothing until one day Ben spots Jules's driver taking a swig from a bottle in a paper bag. He goes down and confronts the driver on what he saw and tells him to either take the day off or he'll have to tell Jules about what he saw. So the driver takes the day off and now he's becomes the driver for the day. And so it begins.

Haven't seen Rene Russo in a while. She plays the office masseuse and boy was her first introduction to Ben a memorable one. ©Warner Bros Pictures

He observes her but doesn't say much. Which is fine by her. At the end of the day they go their separate ways. The next morning, well before his usual time to get to work, he gets a call from Becky (Christina Scherer) Jules's PA telling him that she can't find the driver and could he fill in instead. He of course says yes. He's told to get there at a certain time, to ring the bell and then walk away and wait for her. So he does just that but when he rings the bell Matt (Anders Holm) her husband who invites him in for a coffee. Inside he meets Paige (JoJo Kushner) their daughter. When Jules finally shows up she's surprised to find him there and is obviously uncomfortable with the situation. In the car she texts her business partner and asks him to transfer him to another department.

The next day morning she finds a different Senior Citizen Intern picking her up and this doesn't sit with her well at all. She goes looking for him and finds him getting coffee and apologizes to him and begs him to come back and work for her. And so it goes, Ben becomes her confidant of sorts, he gets close to Jules and Paige and helps her out by just being there. He helps her come to terms with herself and her work. In the end all's well that ends well.

Here Ben is being introduced to Facebook. And his first friend on Facebook happens to be the boss. People talk about stuff like that around the water cooler, right? ©Warner Bros Pictures

So was this a good movie?

In one word? Yes. It was a pretty good movie. Right from the beginning where you meet Ben Whittaker I sort of had a feeling that it was going to be a good movie. Let's begin with the story, it's a simple story really, it's a lot like The Devil Wears Prada (2006) which also starred Anne Hathaway but now she's the boss. But unlike Meryl Streep who was the boss that everyone feared and new the business like the back of her hand Jules Ostin is the exact opposite. She's an entrepreneur who's trying to make a name for herself and her company but at the same time trying to keep her business organic, friendly and real. Like how she's always done it from the beginning. And of course instead of getting a young and eager intern she gets a man in his 70's who has more experience that she has years. Instead of her teaching him about her world of online fashion retail and startups he guides her subtly towards the right decisions and choices. The intern became the mentor. 

The comedy delivered is lighthearted and fun and at times a little silly but it was thoroughly enjoyable. I heard quite a few hearty laughs and lot of giggles. The jokes were mostly about the generation gap but it was done well and everyone appeared to get it. 

Out with the boss for tequila shots after Ben and the other interns raid the boss's mother's house. How often does that happen? ©Warner Bros Pictures

But the main reason to watch this movie is to watch Robert De Niro. In most of his of the other comedies that he's in he usually plays a parody of the roles he's more famous for. You know the serious character, the guy you shouldn't be messing with. But this time he's the complete opposite. Right from the start Ben is absolutely charming and endearing. Anne Hathaway was brilliant too. She was strong and weak at the same time. And also absolutely charming. The other folks were just as which makes it all the more fun to watch.

If you need a reason to watch this movie then I'd say go because of Robert De Niro. I've seen a few of his comedies but I think this is the best one he's done to date where he's the lead instead of in a supporting role. The story is quite refreshing and the humor is done well. I enjoyed it from start to finish. This is a comedy in the way that a simple sponge cake with icing can be just the perfect end to a dinner. A sponge cake that's done really well, one that's light and fluffy but incredibly flavorful and topped with icing or frosting that's just the right amount of sweetness. It won't overwhelm you at the end or leave you wanting for more but you wouldn't mind going back for seconds. 

Here Ben is moving his table next to Jules's long-time Personal Assistant/Secretary. How would you feel if the old guy gets to work that closely with the boss after a few days? ©Warner Bros Pictures

This movie is the perfect sort of movie if you've had a sort of tough day. It's the perfect movie for a date night. I'm gladly giving this movie a 3.5 out of 5. Totally had fun watching it.

My apologies if this review seems less well written then the previous ones. I seem to have a little trouble getting the words out and trying to explain myself. Trust me the movie is a fun watch. You won't regret it. 

Have a look at the trailer and see for yourself.

BIG THANKS TO CHURP CHURP AND WARNER BROS PICTURES MALAYSIA FOR THE #CHURPREMIERE PASSES!!

AND OF COURSE THANK YOU GSC CINEMAS @ 1 UTAMA FOR BEING THE VENUE!