Rebecca Kivak’s review published on Letterboxd:
“The Intern” is adorable and utterly charming. The delightful comedy explores the generation gap between co-stars and Oscar winners Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. The initially odd couple turns into a dynamic duo as the two play beautifully off each other.
Hathaway plays Jules Ostin, the 30-something founder of an Internet fashion company who’s involved in every detail of running her business. De Niro plays 70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker, who’s retired but looking to get back into the daily grind. When Ben joins Ostin’s company as a “senior” intern, he not only becomes an uncle to the young staff, but a confidant to Jules, who gradually opens up as she tries to juggle her duties as CEO, wife and mother.
Smartly written and directed by Nancy Meyers, “The Intern” blends feminist themes with an appreciation for chivalry, and realistically shows the two can co-exist without taking away from each other. In fact, they work together.
Jules has a lot on her plate as a working mother and her family’s breadwinner, but the film makes it clear that she shouldn’t have to sacrifice part of her life in order to enrich another part. Ben admires Jules’ accomplishments, knowing from his own experience the rewards of hard work. But he’ll be the first to give her a handkerchief when the situation calls for it. For Ben, his “old-school” manner is a matter of respect – wearing a suit even to a casual workplace, standing up when Jules enters the room, and ringing the beautiful and close-in-age office masseuse (Rene Russo).
De Niro shines in a role outside the veteran actor’s comfort zone. Ben guides the office’s sloppy millennial staff – Adam DeVine, Jason Orley and fellow intern Zach Pearlman – in matters of the heart, professionalism and day-to-day living. De Niro teaches and imparts respect, a trait admired by Jules when she compares Ben to Harrison Ford and other actors of a manly and put-together generation. He grows to become Jules’ best friend and trusted adviser not only in business, but in her personal life when the film takes a serious turn.
Nine years after Hathaway’s ingénue turn in “The Devil Wears Prada,” the roles are reversed and she’s now playing the woman in charge. But Jules hasn’t lost her soul like Miranda Priestly. The versatile Hathaway plays Jules as a CEO who cares so much about her customers, daughter (JoJo Kushner) and husband (Anders Holm) that she’s willing to lose sleep to be everything to everyone. She needs someone like Ben to remind her to eat and take time for herself, and that it’s OK to do so. As strong as Jules is, Hathaway also shows the character’s vulnerability and makes her relatable to those of us trying to balance lives in and outside of work.
The supporting cast also excels. Russo is lovely as Fiona, who embarks on a romance with Ben as they address the expectations of dating later in life. DeVine, Orley and Pearlman are appealing as the clueless young men who learn from Ben. Andrew Rennells (“Girls”) is a cool and calm presence as Jules’ right-hand man. Christina Scherer makes an impression as Jules’ wired assistant who yearns to do more with her business skills.
“The Intern” is a feel-good movie that will pull on your heartstrings. I enjoyed De Niro and Hathaway’s tender performances so much that the unlikely pairing is one of my favorites in any movie this year.