At first glance, the synopsis of “The Intern,” directed by Nancy Meyers, appears to describe a bland movie with a tame plot, brightened only by a star-studded cast. I’ll admit I was skeptical when dragged to the movie theater. However, instead of a dull film, I found “The Intern” to be a refreshing change in a world of romantic comedies and somewhat-scary horror movies.

Robert De Niro is 70-year-old Ben Whittaker, a widower who decides to apply for a senior internship at a fashion company. Having never heard of a senior internship, I Googled it and discovered that it is, in fact, a thing. Seniors can apply for an internship, much like a college student, and learn about a career for an extended period of time.

Senior citizens’ options range from the medical field to legal opportunities and everywhere in between. “The Intern” is the first movie to really get in-depth about the program, and it was interesting to watch Whittaker navigate the ups and downs of being a 70-year-old thrust into a world of technology. He takes it all in stride and develops heartwarming relationships with several members of the company, including the founder, Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway).

Ostin is a young entrepreneur who struggles to balance her company with her family life. The burden only increases when her inexperience is pointed out by a coworker, who encourages her to hire a CEO. Ostin is reluctant to relinquish her power to someone who “would do things his own way.”

She interviews several candidates but always finds a reason to dismiss them, whether it be that they were sexist or they didn’t blink enough. Whittaker agrees with her decision not to turn over the company to a CEO.

Under pressure from her husband, who has grown tired of being a stay-at-home dad, Ostin travels to San Francisco with Whittaker to meet one last possible CEO. During their stay, Ostin opens up to Whittaker about the issues in her personal life. The intern, who has much more experience than the young businesswoman, offers sound advice. Eventually, Ostin decides to hire the CEO.

Back at home, Ostin’s company is falling apart just as her marriage unravels. With help from Whittaker, she must decide whether to keep the newly-hired CEO while figuring out her personal life as well.

While a few monologues come across as wordy or clichéd, “The Intern” is inventive and unlike many of the movies currently on the market. Romance takes a backseat to entrepreneurship. The film doesn’t rely on big-budget action scenes to keep the plot moving. There are enough twists in the story to keep an audience guessing, even though it isn’t an action flick.  I would recommend “The Intern” to anyone looking for an unconventional movie, someone who is interested in business, or even just a person who enjoys a plot that isn’t transparent, as so many are these days.
“The Intern” is rated PG-13 and has a running time of two hours, one minute.