# The Intern - Blu-ray Review



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=63113[/img] 
*Title: The Intern* 

*Movie:* :4stars:
*Video:* :4.5stars:
*Audio:* :4.5stars: 
*Extras:* :2stars: 

*HTS Overall Score:*83




[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=63121[/img]*Summary*
Nancy Meyers has been writing films since the 80s, but she kind of hit her groove in the early 2000’s when she started directing with the remake of “The Parent Trap”. After that she got sort of a name for herself making movies about highly successful people (usually women, but not always) who have life changing decisions that alter them forever. She directed one of my all-time favorite movies, “What Women Want” starring Mel Gibson, and then moved on to more “chic flick” type films like “Something’s Gotta Give”, “The Holiday” and that abortion known as “It’s Complicated” with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin (I still have nightmares about that film). It’s been six years since her last film, and she’s still making films about strong women and the men who support them, but thankfully the rut she was in seems to have faded since her failure with “It’s Complicated”. Bringing in the charming Anne Hathaway and classic star Robert De Niro, she makes a touching film about following your dreams AND keeping your soul at the same time.

70 year old Ben Whittaker has had a full life. He’s been married (now widowed), worked for the same company for 40 years, had a son and now several lovely grandchildren, and is now enjoying the fruits of retirement. The problem is, that retirement is not all that it’s cracked up to be when you don’t have anyone to share it with. He spent the first few years of his leisure travelling the world and going to do all of the things that he never got to do when he was working full time. Now that he’s done all that, the down time is just killing him. After seeing an ad in the newspaper, Ben decides to apply for an intern position within a local E-commerce startup in his home town of Brooklyn run by an incredibly young boss. One Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway). 

Jules is a hard working woman who has put her heart and soul into creating an online fashion store in a world that is still predominately run by men. When I say hard working, I really mean borderline obsessive, as she tries to manage every single aspect of the company without eating, sleeping or even breathing it seems like. The intern position was something of an afterthought by her second in command and she’s not exactly keen on an intern, let alone a 70 year old man working as one. However, it isn’t long before Ben’s charming and rather old fashioned sophistication and dedication to his work begins to eat away at her armor. Ben is the type of guy who goes home when the boss leaves, even if that means staying way past everyone else, and his wealth of business knowledge becomes something that Jules can start to lean when she needs to.

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=63129[/img]The crux in the plot line comes with the investors for Jules’ business decide they would really like a seasoned CEO to come in and take over the nuts and bolts of the operation leaving Jules to keep with the invention side of things. However, this is Jules’ baby. A company that she started and KNOWS how to run from the ground up, even though he family life is failing with a stay at home dad who appears to be cheating and feels alone and isolated himself. While Jules chews over the thought of actually hiring someone to be her boss, she finds a friend in Ben, whose quiet wisdom and support allows the over taxed business owner the stability she needs to find her center and regain control over her life.

“The Intern” is almost saccharine sweet at times, but left me with a very happy grin on my face throughout the film. I’ve always enjoyed Robert De Niro over the years and have been saddened to see him start to take the DTV roles where he plays a mob boss, chewing his lines out with absolute boredom and waiting for the director to yell cut. Praise God for Nancy Meyers and “The Intern” because we finally get to see De Niro back in the saddle once more with a co-starring role that really allows the veteran actor to do his job with pride. De Niro and Hathaway have a beautiful chemistry that carries the movie through a rough middle act and makes the final act that much more enjoyable. 

While I enjoyed the first act quite a bit, I must say that the film starts to lose some steam in the second act, as the movie stumbles around awkwardly trying to kill time. There’s some funny moments with Ben and the rest of the Interns trying to break into Jules’ mother’s house to delete an email, or a bar scene where Ben lends assistance to an overly drunk Jules. These scenes are funny and decent enough, but they feel awkward and out of place with the rest 1st act, slowing the film down considerably. Once Jules and Ben head out to California to meet a prospective CEO the film regains its charm and speed and hurtles at full speed towards a rather satisfying ending.

The ending almost through me for a loop, as Meyers has Jules makes a definite decision to keep going as head of the company (an inevitable decision) and it really seemed like she was starting to act like her family was second place. However, a last minute decision by Jules’ husband Matt (Anders Holm) allows the young executive to have her cake and eat it too, keeping her family together AND having her dream job. I have no qualms with the end decision, but I guess it comes from being an old fashioned guy who grew up believing that family came first over career, whether you be man or woman. That little bit ALMOST rubbed me the wrong until the slightly unrealistic out came in the form of Matt’s decision about their family.


*Rating:* 

Rated PG-13 for some suggestive content and brief strong language 


*Video* :4.5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=63137[/img]Theatrically released in 1.85:1, “The Intern” comes to Blu-ray in a slightly opened up 1.78:1 AVC encoded Blu-ray that looks spectacular. The city of New York has never looked warmer and more inviting, as the colors literally pop off of the screen at every corner. Showcasing richly saturated colors, the films shows the lush greens of the vegetation around the city as well as the razor sharp and highly “Apple” looking home office for the E-Commerce startup. Whether you’re looking at the facial details of the characters, or the wonderfully accurate detail shown in the wider cityscape, everything is shown with immaculate detail. De Niro’s mature physique and aging face show every line and well-worn crease in his appearance as well as the delicate and lovely face of Anne Hathaway’s youthful one. Black levels are wonderfully deep and inky, with great shadow detail and no signs of crush or any other abnormalities. 







*Audio* :4.5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=63145[/img]“The Intern” has just as good of an audio track as video encodes, as the 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is just as warm and inviting as the visuals. Dialog is rich and inviting, with strong vocal replication that doesn’t sound strained or harsh in the slightest. The surrounds are engaged at all times with the rumble of New York City traffic as well as the constant murmuring of a busy office. The LFE comes into play quite a bit for a drama, coming in deep and visceral while still staying in the background a majority of the time. Sound effects like car doors slamming, or a New York City driver screeching to a halt are naturally weighty and the score benefits from a soft addition of a thicker low end. Clarity of the audio is near impeccable, with the distinct and individual sounds of a brief case clicking shut, or the moan of a chair as it’s slid along a hard wood floor, or the soft sound of a bedroom door being shut in the background. Everything is balanced like an expert juggler, with wonderfully warm and inviting audio experience. 






*Extras* :2stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=63153[/img]
• Learning From Experience
• Designs on Life
• The Three Interns 










*Overall:* :4stars:

“The Intern” was a movie that hooked me right at the initial trailer months ago. I never was able to see it theatrically so I was eagerly awaiting the home video release and have to say that I was well satisfied with the movie. There’s some rough spots here and there, with an awkward middle act, but the majority of the movie is a good slice of “feel good” with Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro working organically together in order to make a wonderful pairing. Audio and video are fantastic and the extras, while light are decently engaging. I have no problem giving a solid thumbs up to “The Intern”


*Additional Information:*

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Robert DeNiro, Rene Russo
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Written by: Nancy Meyers
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 AVC
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1, French, Spanish, Portuguese DD 5.1
Studio: Warner
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 122 minutes
Own The Intern on Blu-ray Combo Pack or DVD on January 19 or Own It Early on Digital HD on December 22!




*Buy The Intern On Blu-ray at Amazon*




*Recommendation: Recommended​*








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## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

Thanks for the review. I wanted to check this movie out sometime back but never got time. I will get this movie. Besides I like to see Anne Hathaway on the screen! Very talented actress!


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