Line #12 YMMV/TheIntern


1	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
2	** Given how quickly Fiona and Ben's relationship progresses, the massage she first gives him could have been her flirting. She notably doesn't seem to mind Ben's RagingStiffie.
3	** The disapproving mothers Ben talks to. Do they simply look down on Jules for being a working mother? Or do they know [[spoiler:about Matt's affair (since the woman ''is'' a mother as well)]] and blame Jules for not knowing about it?
4	** Is Jules really the strong woman she claims to be? Or is she actually a StrawFeminist who styles herself as a strong woman? The way she treats her husband (and by extension other people in general) could also suggest that [[spoiler:Matt cheated on her because he was fed up of her attitude]]. The scene where the other mothers put her down could also be considered an UnreliableNarrator moment. As the women actually dislike her because she treats people poorly, but she believes they only hate her for being a working mother.
5	*** Alternately, is she neglectful and harsh, or just distracted and insecure? She shows great affection for her daughter, and for others when given the chance to really slow down and let herself breathe.
6	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
7	** There's one scene where Ben gets a foot rub from Fiona and Davis walks in, mistakenly thinking she's performing oral sex. He trips, falls and runs out of there. It's neither mentioned nor referenced again.
8	** The Jules' mother's house part of the film is a borderline example. Jules accidentally sends a rude email to her mother. Ben, Davis, Lewis and Jason offer to break into the house and erase it from her mother's computer. While there, the alarm goes off and they panic momentarily when they hear sirens. They manage to get away before the police arrive. It's a rather random slapstick scene against the movie's low-key tone. However it does help progress Jules and Ben's friendship, and the scene in the bar later shows how the workload has made Jules out of touch with her colleagues.
9	* FridgeHorror:
10	** It's said that [[spoiler:the woman Matt has the affair with]] is a mother at their daughter's school. It just makes you wonder if the two had organised play-dates as excuses to see each other. That adds a whole new layer of {{Squick}}, as well as TruthInTelevision.
11	** Jules is no saint either. Her treatment of Matt can come across as emotional abuse or at the very least unappreciative. However, when we see Jules and Matt together, it's only in the company of others until the final act. This, combined with her dislike of men in general, makes you wonder how she was actually treating him. Also TruthInTelevision as [[DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale abusive wives]] tend to favor emotional abuse over physical abuse.
12	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The film is generally regarded as SoOkayItsAverage in the United States, but in South Korea it was highly acclaimed, as many critics said it was a rare portrayal of an IntergenerationalFriendship that is hard to come by in Korean culture, which prescribes strict levels of hierarchy between people of different ages.
13	* GirlShowGhetto: Discussed. [[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/oct/01/the-intern-has-been-panned-by-male-film-critics-why-am-i-not-surprised Clem Bastow suggested]] the majority of hate came from male critics who disliked that the film had a female lead who worked in fashion, and dismissed it as a ChickFlick. However a lot of the negativity could also have to do with Jules' character (see UnintentionallyUnsympathetic below).
14	* PlatonicWritingRomanticReading: Although Jules and Ben's friendship is platonic, a couple of scenes do give the impression things are heading in a romantic direction. Namely when she passes out drunk in his arms and shows surprise at Fiona being in his house. Likewise their hotel room scene looks as if it's going to head for Jules making a pass at him. Nothing happens of course but the set up is curious.
15	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Jules' mother. We're only given a brief glimpse into Jules' turbulent relationship with her parents despite it clearly being implied as another major cause of stress for Jules. Accidentally sending a venting email to her mother would've made for a great opportunity for the two to finally have a proper confrontation and reconcile their differences, but instead Ben and the young office workers pull off a caper to break into her mother's house and have the message deleted, and the subplot with Jules and her mother just ends there without any further mention.
16	* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Jules, whose character drew a fair amount of criticism. She was intended to be a career woman who is being unfairly judged by others. She ended up coming across to some as a bitter, abrasive StrawFeminist who actually isn't as strong or intelligent as she says she is and makes constant disparaging remarks towards men because of her own insecurities. The dismissive and condescending way she treats her husband could also be interpreted as [[DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale abusive]] and therefore his [[spoiler:extra-marital affair]] could be seen as a consequence of her behaviour.

Context YMMV / TheIntern