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Writer's pictureIssi Israel Doron

The Intern



The Intern - a 2015 American comedy-drama film, directed by Nancy Meyers, is an easy pick as a Gerontological Movie. Staring well know actors, e.g. (the aging) Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway and Rene Russo - it uses the slogan: "Experience never gets old" - for marketing the film. And indeed the plot is a classic gerontological story: A seventy-year-old widower (De Niro) applies to a senior citizen internship program at a young, high-tech, fashion e-commerce company in Brooklyn - founded and headed by a young woman (Hathaway). The rest of the story is about the "meetings" and inter-relations between the "old" (and experienced) intern, with his (very) young colleagues - and especially his young female boss. So, while without doubt this is a gerontological movie - the question is whether it is a good gerontological movie?

On the one hand, De-Niro does an excellent job in portraying the challenges older workers are facing while attempting to join youth-oriented high-tech companies. The movie also tries to break down ageist and negative stereotypes regarding older workers - and very nicely shows how age - by itself - does not necessarily make older workers irrelevant. Finally, the movie also shows the importance of intergeneraional engagement is, both for young and old. On the other hand - and this is maybe something totally personal and subjective - the movie goes into some "romantic/dramatic directions (e.g. the personal relationships between the company's boss and her husband) - which were somewhat artificial to the plot (...or at least to the gerontological plot).

So, overall I would recommend this movie as a good and enjoyable movie to watch, along with some good gerontological insights regarding aging workers. However, do not expect the movie to attempt to break the common grounds or borders.

USA

2015

Director: Nancy Meyers

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKCXDb53Yvo

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