Good jobs, okay job

40-something besties (Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson) were seasoned watch salesmen, forced to start anew and try their luck at Google, where the best interns are given high-paying and secure jobs. It’s fish-out-of-water time again, but “The Internship,” despite its milking of generation gap jokes, manages to connect with its tried and tested duo, and the freshness of its chosen setting.

Billy (Vaughn) and Nick (Wilson) are smooth-talking and passionate partners trying to fit in with a bunch of intelligent strangers, young men and a woman who can’t seem to form a cohesive team. With years of experience and tons of pop culture references, the older men motivate and transform the underdogs and misfits into a unified group, while fending off attacks from a condescending mega-nerd (Max Minghella).

Directed by comedy-honed Shawn Levy, “The Internship” replicates the two leads’ working rapport; as older brother-types this time, Vaughn and Wilson are rightly goofy and awkward, ably energizing a pretty typical script. Just as important are the quirky kids, among them the abused Yo-Yo (Tobit Raphael) and the antisocial Stuart (Dylan O’Brian). Rose Byrne enlivens her simple mentor-love interest role, but some of the memorable moments involve appearances by hilarious Will Ferrell and Rob Riggle. Still, Vaughn and Wilson have charm and synergy working for them, making them just right for the job.