Predicted Rating: 1.5 Stars
Directed by: Shawn Levy (Date Night). Starring: Vince Vaughn (Old School), Owen Wilson (Zoolander) and Rose Byrne (Insidious)
Two long time watch salesmen, Billy McMahon (Vaughn) and Nick Campbell (Wilson) find out in the middle of a sale that their company has closed down and they have lost their jobs. After hitting rock bottom, Billy's solution to their financial problems is that he and Nick get an internship at Google. The two find themselves up against a bunch of young geniuses fighting it out for five jobs. Teamed with a bunched of misfits, Billy and Nick must beat the odds as the winning team secures the available jobs. As well as fighting the odds, Nick finds himself attracted to middle management Google employee Dana (Byrne).
Well all I can say is that was downright terrible. I wasn't really expecting much after viewing the trailer but as with many movies these days, all of the good parts are packed into the trailer. It would have been good to have seen some more in the movie to at least keep me entertained. However, I was more entertained by the people in the audience. There was one guy who would laugh at the most inappropriate times at the top of his lungs. In the end I was laughing at him more that the actual movie. All the actual film did was make me angry. Essentially it made everyone from generation Y seem like they have no interest in social interaction and really makes us all look like assholes. There were obviously the characters that had a burst of personal development and by the end of the film seemed like good guys, however the damage was already done. Apart from the two main characters, i.e. the Gen X'ers Vaughn and Wilson, there are no lovable characters from the get-go putting a huge dent in the already tarnished reputation of generation Y.
Apart from showing a blatant disregard for an entire generation, The Internship was intended to be a giant advertisement on how good it is to work for Google. In my opinion this was a substantial risk that did not pay off. Yes they did display how fun it would be to work at Google with a constant reminder that all the food is free and their main modes of transport are funky looking bikes and slides. However, I think the inclusion of Google has been more detrimental than beneficial to both the company and the film. Having the focus as Google made the film seem tacky and commercial. It was also a bad move for Google as the script was terrible, there were very little likable characters and it was essentially a movie that went through the motions. Maybe it is me being cynical but I am at the stage where I have viewed so many films that for a comedy to be considered good it has to be quirky and different, where The Internship is far from these. Also I wonder if the people who enjoyed this film are exactly the people you would like to work for your company. These would be the same people who enjoy the comedy stylings of Dane Cook and find Two and a Half Men bearable. In the end I have come to the conclusion that I would not like to work for Google.
Despite its downfalls there is somethings I found, I was going to say enjoyable but I don't think that is right word, so I am going to say relatable. Even though on paper I am young and part of Gen Y, at heart I am more of an old man and should belong with either Gen X or the Baby Boomers. As a result I could relate with the two fish out of water characters Nick and Billy. I could see myself in the same situation as those two as I have the same method of thinking in the workplace, rather than those young go-getters. Even though they were just used as comedic filler I did have a chuckle at some of the cultural references that were included. They were definitely overdone and just added in there so people would think hey I have seen that somewhere but I did enjoy some of them. If they were done in moderation the cultural references would have been more effective.
Overall: Essentially an ineffective advertisement for Google that was detrimental to both parties. 1 Star
Thumbs down: Don't go see this movie.
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