The Intern

First Hit:  Really enjoyed this film at many levels.

Having a wife that created a business and also having owned multiple small businesses, I’m very aware of the amount of work and pressure it takes to grow a business.

This film is about the relationship between Jules (Anne Hathaway), a young married mother who’s created a booming internet apparel business and Ben (Robert De Niro) who is a 70 year old intern at her company. As Jules skepticism for having an intern, let alone a senior citizen whose looking to get back into the game, grows Ben’s calm clear persistent demeanor creates space for Jules to actually appreciate his experience. Jules’ home life isn’t doing well as her husband Matt (Anders Holm) is struggling being a house husband.

Jules is interviewing possible CEOs to run her business hoping to find a way to create a better home life and to ease the pressure around herself. But as Ben continues to listen and provide guidance, Jules becomes clearer about her path forward.

I loved the way the office atmosphere emulated new smaller companies these days with a masseuse name Fiona (Rene Russo), open warehouse type floor plan where nothing is private, and overworked staff continue to do what they can with little acknowledgement from senior management. Many of scenes were compelling to watch as the tension in Jules and the clarity and calmness of Ben evolved quite well.

De Niro was very strong. His comic timing with his expressions are perfect for the part – elegant. Hathaway is very good. I enjoyed her character and she displayed the character’s strengths and weaknesses in great ways. Holm was good as the, most of the time, honorable supportive husband. Russo was fabulous as the company masseuse. Nancy Myers wrote a wonderful script and must have had a great time directing strong actors.

Overall:  I really enjoyed this film because of the story and developing business perspective.

Nightcrawler

First Hit:  Amazing performance in a film about a dark undercurrent theme of our society.

We like voyeur’s views of the world. How do I know, watch television news. News programs would not be as popular as they are without having a certain voyeuristic view into other people’s lives, our lives.

Here we have Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) who is trying to make a life for himself. He’s a thief who sells stolen metal at junk yards. He runs up on a freeway accident where he watches a videographer filming the gruesome scene. He finds out that TV news stations buy this kind of video so he decides to become an independent videographer as a way to make an interesting living. It is to the depth in which he dives into this new role that highlights the film and the story.

Louis’ sleazy looks, acts of righteous knowledgeable indignation, slumping posture, while embodying the role of providing gory TV news film for money – that makes this film all-encompassing and watchable. While this film is about Louis’ voyeuristic ways, it is also about the audiences’ engagement with the video Louis shoots as well as viewing Louis’ life.

Gyllenhaal was so immersed and engaged that I believed everything about this character. Rene Russo (playing Nina Romina the News Director who buys Louis’ video) is absolutely fabulous. Her facial expressions at the date/dinner she has with Louis are amazing. Her directness in decision making in the newsroom – perfect. Riz Ahmed as Rick, Louis’ right hand man was extraordinary. Dan Gilroy wrote and directed this film. The writing was superb and his direction of the actors and scenes was, at times, riveting.

Overall:  This film was well done and Gyllenhaal made it this way.