Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway dole out laughs and tears in their charming performances in Nancy Meyer’s latest feel-good work comedy The Intern.
The movie’s plot involves a 70-year old intern at a web-based fashion company, so realism isn’t necessarily what the film is aiming for. The entire premise seems paper thin upon first glance.
It is a fantastical situation, but the performances of De Niro and Hathaway convince viewers to forget all that and accept everything offered on screen.
Meyers tries to add more depth to the characters by adding flashes of commentary on the image of the working mom, the house husband, and the corporate lady, but these musings are forgettable and fails to add any real texture to the characters.
Though the entire movie is well shot, one can’t help but notice how ridiculously well decorated every scene is. Almost every indoor set looks like something straight out of an interior design magazine that felt a tad bit too much.
But even so, this does not take away from the wonderful showing of the lead characters.
Under the guidance of Meyer, both De Niro and Hathaway deliver a very charming performance that is buoyed by their unlikely on-screen chemistry which more than makes up for the flick’s shortcomings.
Their supporting cast, meanwhile, drew out hearty laughs and a few tears as well. And even if some parts of the plot were predictable, they were all done well enough.
No matter how absurd the situation they find themselves in, Hathaway and De Niro banked on their charm to make The Intern work. The two stars delivered engaging and unforgettable moments that far outweigh the scenes that try to be too intelligent.
