The Intern is a film with modern undertones, touching upon a couple of issues facing both the elderly and the young.

Ben (Robert DeNiro) is a retiree, whose wife has passed away. It’s been several years since then. He’s taken all the trips, and visited his children enough, and he feels there is something more to be done. He stumbles across an ad for active seniors looking for work as interns. One of his neighbors, Patty (Linda Lavin), tells him it’s a waste of time, but she’d rather spend that time with him, instead. Rather than sit by and fade away, he lands a job at an online fashion retailer.

That company is run by Jules (Anne Hathaway). She started the company with the goal of being service-minded. Anyone, she says, can have an online business, but hers would be better than anyone at customer service. She sells clothing that just fits as you would expect, but is involved in all aspects. Her partner Cameron (Andrew Rannells) reminds her of the company’s elderly intern program, and recommends that she take one of the retirees as a direct subordinate, to set the example for the rest of the company. Naturally, she’s reluctant to use Ben, but that transpires, he spends time learning about the company, and assisting people as needed. He is very observant, and is able to guide people into doing what’s right and necessary, both in work, and their outside lives.

Through a series of inconsequential circumstances, she comes to rely on him more than she ever thought she would. Ben becomes Jules’ driver, and manages to insinuate himself into her family. Jules’ husband is a stay-at-home dad, raising their daughter while she runs the company. She’s so irritated by Ben’s attentiveness that she reassigns him, but we come to find he’s more valuable to her than she wants to admit. There’s external pressure from her backers to hire a CEO, who can help shape the company better and take some of the load off of her so she falls apart from the pressure. Jules is putting on a brave face, because she’s baring the success of company on her shoulders alone.

There are comedic elements to this film that play well, but this is first and foremost a drama. The story could have gone in a different direction along those lines, but thanks to a well-written script and good direction, it does not stumble. There are a couple of turning points, and there were scenes that did not play out on screen, and that was the right decision. This is a character driven story, and the focus remains on the characters that matter. The resolution was very satisfying, and well worth the time.

Recommended.