racliff

Looking over Nancy Myers writing collection, I'm surprised how many are productions we've enjoyed -- "Private Benjamin (1980)", "The Parent Trap (1998)" was watched repeatedly by our young daughter, even "Protocol (1984)" is a pleasant enough distraction, and "The Holiday (2006)" is maybe my favourite with her Arthur (Eli Wallach) being my most enjoyable character. So how does a 2015 "The Intern" fall short with such a résumé of well liked movies? The husband (Matt) is a complete twit, and watching this idiot ruins anything done correctly in the development of this production.

Had I watched the movie when it originally aired, I would have still been unsatisfied with this movie, but I probably wouldn't know what happened. The project's timing of 10yrs ago is the likely culprit -- the cusp where Hollywood really began to loose it's mind over moronic men with the coming age of the 'girl boss', doing anything it can to destroy traditional relationships. It takes a certain power to be the consort of a powerful person, and Jules' husband does not demonstrate it. This is a story of woman growing into something special, just as we might wish our own daughters to be. This journey is an interesting enough story without a main character being tethered a weak-kneed child-man that noone would want to call son-in-law. For me, this pretty much destroys what should have been a wonder 2hrs with De Niro, Hathaway and Russo.

Christian movies can be predictable. Of course so are Road-Runner cartoons, and I thought those were great. "Unsung Hero" is a family story that is both unusual and typical; in that this is a family with lots of children for an audience probably only having one or two; following success and tragedy, the family is forced to move but don't just cross town, instead head out to a different country; and while upheaval surrounds, the mom of this story is also pregnant with their newest member.

How many dads would provide by leaving the family, seeking opportunities and sending money back. This mom will not allow her family to be broken apart. So we are invited to witness a dad who has lost his footing and maybe their entire future; we see the hearts of the children, doing what they can; and of course the aches and tears of mom.

There really are no epiphanies here, however to those who have seen many full-moons in their lifetime, there may well be the too familiar failure of putting food back at the grocer checkout, no longer having furniture, or battling ones own ego at simple invitations of neighbours living life better, or learning how to gratefully accept help from others.

If you're a dad who has pulled your child from social program because you can't get $60 to keep her in, or a grandparent sharing all that you can, only to have it all fall on deaf ears, or watched God provide something that never should have arrived at just the right the time, this may well be a movie that grants you a smile and a laugh and a tear.

Most people will learn little from this movie, beyond families are paramount, and God is good. Life unfolded well for this family and they have made significant impacts on the lives of many people. I believe all the faithful have that same opportunity to have a positive impact on those around them. That is worth remembering, and that makes this movie a good usage of 2 hours and worthy of supporting.