Friday, March 4, 2016

The Intern

I was so pleased when I read Heroic Measures and it didn’t feature the older people or the dog dying. Those kinds of events seem to be standard fare in books and movies. It is much, much harder to write a book or make a movie about real, everyday people living mostly happy lives. Of course that isn’t necessarily the truth of life, but it is certainly a truth. There are a whole lot of happy, good people out there. They have their troubles and cares but they also have great joys, and I, for one, like to read about them in books or see them at the movies. 

I began watching The Intern with no previous knowledge. I knew who the main actors were and that’s it. Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. 



And I knew it was a Nancy Meyers movie. 



I love The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give, The Parent Trap (the remake), and Father of the Bride (remake). I like her view of the world, and had high hopes that I’d like this one, too. And oh, how I did. I loved it. And Tom felt the same way. Here is how she describes her work:
Nancy Meyers knows who she is and who she isn’t.
What she isn’t is a filmmaker known for high-concept, ambitious stories or action sequences and stunts.
What she is, is a producer, writer and director known for “Something’s Gotta Give,” ”The Holiday” and “It’s Complicated” who creates well-developed characters having relationships that unfold on screen.
“You don’t come to my films for that amazing plot twist,” she said in a recent interview. “I’m not trying to put myself down but the plot isn’t sort of what stirs it all up. “
She says characters are “Where I put my energy. I want to make them people you care about. I just want to make them people you care about so you get invested as you tell the story. You’re in with me.”
Robert De Niro is a widower who misses having a purpose in his life. Even though he has money and friends he feels there is a space that needs filling. He sees an ad for a senior intern, and applies for the job. And the movie goes on from there. 

There aren’t the expected stereotypes. First of all the different generations in the company get along well together. Younger people listen to the older man. The young people are not superficial and vacuous. Every person in the movie seemed real to me. There were surprises all through the movie. I’d think, ‘well, I didn’t expect that.’ Good surprises. Small surprises. No one is perfect, no one can hold it all together all of the time - just like real life. And there's a delightful heist scene! 


I will add this spoiler, as I did with Heroic Measures, there’s a happy ending. The old fellow doesn’t get sick and die, and in fact, has a romance! The young people work on their problems.

This is a movie with much kindness and compassion and intelligence. One of the very best I’ve ever seen. 

30 comments:

  1. What a great recommendation, Nan! That sounds like my sort of film.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have made me want to see this even more.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I should have done my research: if I'd realized this was by the director of The Holiday, I totally would have seen it before now. Thank you for the recommendation!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I just picked up Heroic Measures from the Library yesterday; I wait-listed it after your recommendation. Of course three books I'd signed up for all came up at once, as seems to always happens. was going to wait until I finished to thank you but I know I'm going to love it, so thank you now!

    The movie sounds like my kind of film too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah! I've been looking forward to this movie, but haven't seen it yet. It has some actors/actresses I really enjoy. You've piqued my interest even more with this lovely review. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What an engaging review, Nan - and a movie I have been wanting to see. Now, I want to see it even more. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's the kind of film I like, too, but get to see far too rarely. I think we need a few more Nancy Meyers around!

    ReplyDelete
  8. We recently watched that movie Nd it was good. I'm glad you mentioned Nancy Meyers as I will look for her movies now. I think we saw the Holiday, if that's the one with Kate Winslet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it is, and I adore it. If you click the title above, you may read what I wrote about it.

      Delete
  9. I have The Intern from Netflix right now and we're looking forward to watching it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sold! It sounds just up my street. Thank you. x

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've requested it from Netflix, so I'll get it when Mac n'Janet are finished with it. Wonderful review.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rod and I watched this last weekend. We both loved it, which was surprising to me, since this is NOT the type of movie Rod enjoys (a la You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, etc.) I thought the acting was marvelous and the storyline engaging and uplifting. I would watch it again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's interesting - I've heard that about other men, but Tom loves all those movies. He doesn't watch them as much as I do, but then again he rarely watches anything a second time (the West Wing being the only exception), but he still liked them the first time.

      Delete
  13. I blush to think how many times I've watched the West Wing…..it's my comfort viewing!! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sure get it! It makes one feel good about the world.

      Delete
  14. I want to see this too! Those are criteria for movies that I now enjoy. I don't have to have weird plot twists and like movies about just plain good people. Thanks for reviewing it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nan, I came back to thank you for recommending "Heroic Measures." I loved this book, for all the reasons you mentioned. And in addition, some of the inner struggles and dialog were familiar to me since Bill and I sold our Oregon RV home and moved to an apartment just this past summer ("slightly" less expensive than one in NYC (insert smiley face ;>O) ... but the thoughts that Ruth had ... "Are we doing the right thing? should we have done it sooner?" I know those thoughts!

      It was a great book -- there really are so few with characters even over 55 living a real and mostly happy life, much less over 75! Thanks for this one.

      Delete
    2. I'm really happy you read it. I love everything you wrote. Thanks, as always.

      Delete
  15. Now you have really made me want to see this and I am not really a movie person very much. There was a time when Ian joined a film club (back in the days of videos). They kept sending us things. He kept asking me if I felt like watching them but I was always reading something or making something that made me feel as if the time for a film was a big commitment. They had to go back by a certain time and they went back unwatched. Not surprisingly we didn't renew. So you can see that making me feel like watching a film is quite a big deal! Thank you. It's not that I never do. I just like to know it will feel like good use of time!

    ReplyDelete

I'll answer your comments as soon as I possibly can. Please do come back if you've asked a question.
Also, you may comment on any post, no matter how old, and I will see it.