This movie is the second collaboration between Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn after Wedding Crashers (2005). It is directed by Shawn Levy, written by Jared Stern and Vince Vaughn and produced by Levy and Vaughn. It centers on two middle-aged salesmen that are out of business after their watch company is closed, Billy (Vaughn) and Nick (Wilson) to get a new job by a summer internship in Google.
The film gets complicated because Nick and Billy are older than the average applicants and must team up with a younger crew in order to succeed against many Ivy League students.
If you’ve seen Wedding Crashers, then you know that these two react magnificently to one another, creating the best kind of comedy. In The Internship they don’t fail you and provide a wide variety of tech-related and geek jokes, enjoyable for today’s generation. In terms of slangs, it’s sort of a light-hearted version of The Social Network. It’s also filled with popular culture references and evidences the age of the characters by taking them from the 80’s.
Levy is solidified in the comedy genre, directing movies like Cheaper by the Dozen, Night at The Museum, Date Night and The Watch (also starring Vaughn). Stern wrote Wreck-It Ralph, Mr. Popper’s Penguins and Bolt. Vaughn, in addition to acting, has also written The Break-Up, and Couples Retreat and has produced Four Christmases and The Dilemma.
It also stars Rose Byrne as Dana, an established and workaholic employee for Google and Nick’s love interest; Josh Brener as Lyle, the team leader of Nick and Billy’s group, John Goodman as their former boss, and Jessica Szhor as Marielena.
The only weak point is the script, because at first glance you already know how it’s going to end. However, the journey is enjoyable. This is another case in which the actors charisma saves the movie. Wilson and Vaughn really deserve another movie award for working together on-screen. The production is impeccable, with the sets’ design and fonts for the credits being completely believable. The construction of the Google campus also gives you an idea into what it’s like inside the walls for a major company that influences the whole world.
If Wedding Crashers is 4.5/5, The Internship is a solid 4/5.
Vivian Russo
Film critic from my point of view 