THE INTERNSHIP (2013)

Directed By: Shawn Levy 
Written By: Vince Vaughn & Jared Stern 
Story By: Vince Vaughn 
Cinematography By: Jonathan Brown 
Editor: Dean Zimmerman 

Cast: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Max Minghella, Dylan O’Brien, Tiya Sircar, Asif Mandvi, Josh Gad, Rob Riggle, Rose Byrne, Jessica Szohr, Eric Andre, Gary Anthony Williams, B.J. Novak, Josh Brener, Tobit Raphael


Bill and Nick are salesmen whose careers have been torpedoed by the digital world. Trying to prove they are not obsolete, they defy the odds by talking their way into a coveted internship at Google, along with a battalion of brilliant college students. But, gaining entrance to this utopia is only half the battle. Now they must compete with a group of the nation's most elite, tech-savvy geniuses to prove that necessity really is the mother of re-invention.

Obviously a simple audience pleaser. The long awaited official reunion of Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. Like most sequels the film Pales in comparison to the original team-upon the original. It was more of a surprise. Here the thinking seems to be put them in any scenario and situations as the chemistry will carry them over (like or example Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in MONEY TRAIN)

When it comes to this film though they are older it's hard to believe they are so technological and pop culture inept.

Vince Vaughn needs to find better roles. You can tell he is trying in his roles, yet feels more like he is sleepwalking as he doesn't so much act as play the same character each film. It seems to be more about his screen personae and known personality rather than acting or playing a different character. He even wrote the film here so he has no one to blame but himself.

The same oddly goes with Owen Wilson though only an actor here. They both started their career more as actors. Now that they have become stars I a lesser extent they seem to want to stay in their certain grooves and not try at all.

Not to mention the film being one of the biggest product placements. The film feels like a film that has come too late to grab onto a cultural phenomenon.

Google allowed the film to shoot for five days at the Googleplex Headquarters, but most of film was shot at the Georgia Institute of Technology at Atlanta, where the film crew made the set look as accurate as the real one.

Even though Google didn't pay to be in the movie, the company was allowed control over how their products were to be depicted. For example, the film-makers wanted a scene where the self-driving car crashes, but Google wanted the scene removed because the product hasn't launched yet.

Your enjoyment of the film will depend on your fandom of the banter that seems more like improv, but after awhile feels grating and uninspired.

It’s a shame considering the talent in display. Don't get me wrong they are both engaging screen personalities. Go are Fun And eventually get used to like old friends who you shouldn't like or associate with, but they have a certain charm.

I have previously enjoyed the generalities of their work and previous collaborations.

This is the most verbose film of director Shawn Levy's career. Who usually directs more family friendly fare and except for one scene in a strip club really this film is pretty clean.

It's an underdog feel good story that is easily relatable.

One other aspect that is a problem is that relationships are formed instantaneously without showing a beginning or growth and really aren't consummated by the ending.

As you can see Vince Vaughn has his fingerprints all over this film. Not as punishing as his recent films. Such as four Christmases, COUPLES RETREAT. Not really emotional at all.

Max Minghella seems to be a clear case of going he William Atherton route of playing educated villains. His role here likely to remind the audience likes also in THE SOCIAL NETWORK another movie revolving around computers and technology.

Who I really want to like as over the years watching his career begin and grow. Though now seems stuck or finally has found his niche. Where as before he'd surprise you with an appearance in a role that was more far from the norm from him, such as THUMBSUCKER and INTO THE WILD.

I have to say though the film or I me against my better instincts I found the film to eventually become a guilty pleasure. Though I can't really explain why

Grade: C