The Intern, Film 2015, written and directed by Nancy Meyers, 7.5* out of 10

The idea of senior-citizen internships at internet start-ups certainly sounds far-fetched; but then again this film may turn out to be prescient of the shape of things to come.

Former business-executive Ben Whitaker (Robert de Niro) is desperately looking for ways of making his retirement active and enjoyable – particularly in the three years since his wife of many years passed away. When a successful internet fashion shop start-up with offices near Ben’s Brooklyn home launches a senior citizen internship, he decides to apply and gets the job.

The fast-growing internet business is being run by its founder, mid-thirties working mom Jules Ostin (Ann Hathaway), who is committed to her ideas and her customers and wants everything to run just so. But while her employees, all young, seem to have a great time, the long and busy working days, take their toll on Jules and her family life. And the the Venture Capital providers are pushing her to hire an experienced CEO to bring order and shareholder value orientation into the business. The last thing she wants is getting landed with having an intern assigned to her, least of all a seventy-year-old male.

The Intern is a gentle romantic comedy-drama about the possibility of friendship developing across generations. The premise of the story, some witty repartee and competent acting especially Robert de Niro, lifts The Intern a bit above the traditional competently executed rom-com, and makes it a film worth watching; this is also to the credit to writer/director Nancy Meyers.

Anyone 10 years either side of the prospect of retiring in what increasingly feels like advanced middle age, will be given food for thought. The idea of senior-citizen internships at internet start-ups certainly sounds far-fetched; but it may turn out to be prescient of the shape of things to come; God help us.  In this sense, The Intern, beyond being an enjoyable film to watch, transcends its genre. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2361509/

The Second Mother (Que Horas Ela Volta?), Film, Brazil (2015), written and directed by Anna Muylaert, 8* out of 10

Director Anna Muylaert has managed to meld an acutely observed study of the upper middle class urban Brazilian household with an ultimately uplifting tale of courage and emancipation. Regina Casé’s performance is a tour de force. 

Val (Regina Casé) works as a live-in housemaid for an upper middle-class Brazilian family in Sao Paolo. She has been with the family for many years. 17-year-old Fabinho (Michel Joesas) whom Val has looked after while his mother Barbara (Karine Teles) launched a successful business career, is devoted to her. Barbara is married to Carlos (Lourenço Mutarelli), whose inherited wealth allows the family to live well, but who appears frustrated and unhappy. Val who is originally from Pernambuco in the north of Brazil, has left her daughter Jessica (Camila Márdila) with relatives to whom she regularly sends money, but out of guilt she has not seen or spoken to her 17-year-old daughter for 10 years. But as Jessica announces she is coming to stay with Val to prepare for the difficult admission exam to university of Sao Paolo, the Val’s life and her employers’ household are in for some unexpected turbulence.

The Second Mother is a slow and atmospheric film. It beautifully shows the relationship of the different protagonists as individuals living in a confined space of one household. And in acutely observes the Brazil of the 21st century, where the social rules of interaction between “upstairs” and “downstairs” are present and known to all who live within. The camera shows the action mainly from the perspective of the household staff. Director Anna Muylaert has managed to meld an acutely observed study of the upper middle class urban Brazilian household with an ultimately uplifting tale of courage and emancipation, in which all the protagonists are flawed but some are flawed heroes, non more so than Val. 

Among a competent cast, Regina Casé’s performance as a formally uneducated housemaid, who is woman with her feet on the ground and an irrepressible good humour and optimism is a wonderful tour de force thanks also to Camila Márdila, who shines in the role of Jessica.

Go see this is a little jewel of human and social observation; it fully deserves the prizes it has received at the Sundance and the Berlin Film Festival.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3742378/