By CHRIS PUNTO & NATALIE SACKET
Columnists
It’s that time again. Winter weather is quickly approaching, and with it comes college kids who stay at home and go to bed early. How fitting that this week we decided to get in touch with our inner elderly person just in time. Our pick this week:
“The Intern” (2015)
Chris- 2 stars out of 5
This movie follows the story of an elderly gentleman as he tries to find his place in a modern business. He tries to balance new technology, new trend, and even new relationships. How lovely right? Not really.
I have some issues with this movie. First of all, who is the target audience? It wasn’t for elderly people because the humor wasn’t right. It wasn’t a chick flick because there really wasn’t a huge love story. It definitely wasn’t for me because I had to struggle to stay awake.
Admittedly, I love this cast. Robert De Niro can do no wrong, and he still hasn’t. This movie’s flop wasn’t due to the acting. It was just a bad story. I can understand his decision to do a bit more of a family friendly (ish) film considering his movie past being so dark, but come on. There are better films out there for you, sir.
Bottom Line: This movie pandered to the people that go to watch a movie because it was “cute.” And it was. The movie was just adorable and nothing else. That’s not enough for me.
Natalie- 4 stars out of 5
“The Intern” maintains a great balance of comedy and drama, both entertaining the audience and tugging at its heartstrings. It’s sentimental, heartfelt and not your typical feel-good film.
This film was only possible with actors as strong as Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. The pair, obviously renowned for their talents onscreen, brought a life to this film that would have been challenging for many other performers. Their chemistry was both entertaining and compelling. This subtle storyline could have easily been dull, but these two phenomenal actors maintained the attention of the audience for the entirety of the film.
As for the plot, I appreciate the emphasis on a storyline that focuses on a strong woman choosing to pursue an unconventional career field. The story’s feminist discourse, though an argument I entirely agree with, seemed a bit forced and late to the conversation. The drama to the plot felt strained, and though I appreciated the support to the feminist conversation, it all was a bit heavy-handed.
I also felt as though the portrayed prejudices against elderly individuals were a bit exaggerated and harsh. Yes, a 70-year-old man starting an internship is a bit out of the ordinary, but not to the point where everyone he runs into would be overtly shocked.
It sounds as though I’m being overly harsh with the film, but I actually enjoyed “The Intern” quite a bit. These are merely issues with the premises of the plotline.
Bottom Line: “The Intern” is a nice change from the repetitive genres of movies. It’s funny and sentimental, and a great date night film. If you desire some warm-fuzzies, this is a great film to go see.