5 Reasons to See Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in ‘The Internship’

Written by field editor Eric Yates.

“The Internship” is playing at the Village Theater. Please see the calendar listing for movie times.

Get Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson into a room together and something magical happens. The two actors somehow form a comedic juggernaut that is in many ways more than the sum of its parts.

Here’s five things you need to know about the movie:

 1.     The chemistry is there – again.

Maybe you’ve tired of the formula Vaughn and Wilson use – Wilson’s straight man with a big heart playing opposite Vaughn’s overcaffeinated idea machine. But it just works. 

2. There’s a villain. And he’s a giant D-bag.
In this case, it’s British Actor Max Minghella. As the team leader for the self-appointed “cool kids,” Minghella’s portayal of Stewart is punchworthy. He’s just mean. And arrogant. And entitled. And not all that attractive, I’m not afraid to say. He just has a face you want to punch. 

3. Guess what? The band of misfits come out victorious.
It’s a trope that is will never change, and that will never really be appealing either. Billy and Nick, after being thrown into a group with three "loser" genius kids – one self loathing, one uber-cynical, one who hides her shyness with overt sexuality – come together to accomplish what no one else thought they could.

4. The Internship has more substance than Crashers.
Billy and Nick are representations of shattered realities. But in those realities, their journey of self-discovery and trying to re-invent themselves in today’s often crippling economy is a pretty rewarding ride. Albeit, a savagely naïve one.  The cynicism delivered by the college kids in the movie is also enlightening, especially to some older adults who have no idea how hard it is for college graduates to find jobs in America right now.

5. So, where is this internship again?
The Google “product placement” cannot be ignored. Some have called the movie a two-hour commercial for the tech giant. And while that conceit is somewhat valid, in the end, those people can shove it. 

This isn’t a docudrama, people. This is a comedy. And while some of the jokes are stale and seem like they would have been funnier three years ago, Vaughn and Wilson are at their best when they are the slick-talking, wise-crackin' duo that has won our hearts before. 

Rated PG-13. 119 minutes.