THE INTERN. Light, trivial entertainment

It’s a pity that Nancy Meyers waits so long to strike a somewhat more serious tone. For the first hour and a half, The Intern presents us with an image of a perfect world. Ben (Robert De Niro) is a widower. He spent forty beautiful years with his wife. He worked his entire life, and now, in retirement, he struggles to adjust to idleness. He feels uneasy, sitting alone in his cozy apartment. He signs up for courses, attends yoga, leaves the house only to keep moving, only to have somewhere to go. On top of that, Ben is a thorough gentleman, a man of great class and a warm smile.

One day, he notices a flyer advertising internships for seniors at a modern fashion company that sells its products exclusively online. Ben is fully aware that he isn’t well-versed in the latest technology, but he believes there is still much he can learn.

The boss and founder of the company About the Fit, where Ben applies, is Jules (Anne Hathaway). She is a workaholic and a perfectionist, a person involved in every tiny detail of running the online store. Jules currently employs over two hundred people; the About the Fit brand is gaining popularity, attracting the interest of wealthy investors.

Jules would certainly like to spend more time with her young daughter and her husband, who gave up his professional career to stay home with the child while his wife, working two jobs, earns a living for the household. In this subplot, Meyers touches on a few contemporary issues. At Jules’ home, roles have been reversed. She is the head of the family, while her husband Matt (Anders Holm) has become effeminate and withdrawn, taking over maternal duties. The couple has grown somewhat distant but still lives in harmony, having accepted this arrangement. I do feel, however, that Meyers could have explored this topic a bit more deeply.

Still, I appreciate that the director managed to weave into the story some insightful observations and one very well-staged scene playing with the figures of husband and wife. I mean the moment when Jules comes home from work at night and lies down next to Matt. This scene perfectly captures what their relationship has become. It’s a shame Meyers didn’t offer a bit more when exploring this issue.

The director sticks too rigidly to genre clichés, as The Intern is primarily meant to be a comedy—an easygoing film for couples bored with a few hours of shopping at the mall. Situational jokes dominate, and the script is mostly composed of micro-scenes and micro-gags. The one-dimensional supporting characters seem written solely to deliver usually unfunny lines.

De Niro gives a moderate performance. He imbues his character with a good deal of empathy, warmth, and goodness. Yet it’s not enough for him to become a character who lingers in memory. Hathaway fares better; her character is more dynamic and has more to play. She also looks stunning in every outfit. Hathaway seems genuinely excited to work alongside such a great actor (my personal favorite). Who wouldn’t be? She shines most toward the end, when she must express all her pent-up emotions and work-related stress.

The relationship between Ben and Jules evolves predictably, ticking off each stage point by point—from initial reluctance to genuine friendship. Ben, of course, influences not only the company’s operations but also the personal life of its owner. He takes care of the child and offers advice at crucial moments.

The Intern never surprises us. Meyers assembled her film from repeatedly used puzzle pieces. It is a light, trivial entertainment—simple and banal cinema, yet steeped to the brim in optimism. Even a few tears shed in the finale don’t change this. Ultimately, Meyers’ film might lift our spirits for a moment, but we’ll soon forget we even watched it. I don’t suspect anyone was expecting more than that.