Once upon a time Robert De Niro was among the greatest of our actors.  He still has the talent, but three decades of mostly mediocre movies and some outright junk has dulled his reputation and overly familiarized his persona.  But every once in a while we get to see just how good he can be.

The Intern presents De Niro as a seventy-ish widower who needs a new challenge in life, so he interviews for and is accepted as a “senior intern” at a new startup company run by Anne Hathaway.  He’s a fish out of water for some time, but he gradually proves his mettle and by the end of the story should be running the firm.

Nancy Meyers’ film has a terrific premise and the two main characters are well written.  The problem with her story is that she ultimately does not want to go where her story leads.  The focus switches from the self-sufficient intern to the increasingly manic boss, who is dealing with a crisis at home.  And when that is finally resolved to no one’s satisfaction, the movie slowly crawls to a whimpering halt.

De Niro is superb, alternating between class and restraint, creating a truly memorable character that represents the best of us oldies who can’t seem to catch a break in the crazy job market.  And while the movie seems to have important things to say about that subject, it eventually abandons its serious subtext to wallow in the melodrama that Hathaway’s life becomes.  The film’s first hour is above average; the rest not so much.  ☆ ☆ 1/2.  7 November 2015.