How a 70-year-old intern became the unlikely anchor for a high-speed fashion startup

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the 2015 comedy-drama The Intern, a retired executive finds himself bored with life and takes a senior internship at a bustling Brooklyn e-commerce firm. His presence challenges the workaholic CEO, leading to an unexpected friendship that forces both characters to re-evaluate their professional ambitions and personal lives.

Directed by Nancy Meyers, the film stars Robert De Niro as Ben Whittaker, a widower who joins the startup About the Fit. The narrative explores the generational and professional friction between Ben and the company's founder, Jules Ostin, played by Anne Hathaway. While the film was a commercial success, grossing $194.6 million worldwide against a $35 million production budget, it received mixed critical reception. Critics praised the chemistry between the two leads, though some reviewers expressed reservations about the screenplay's handling of gender dynamics and workplace themes.

The production history of the film was complex, with early iterations originally planned for Paramount Pictures featuring Tina Fey and Michael Caine. After the project moved to Warner Bros., Reese Witherspoon was attached to the lead role before eventually departing due to scheduling conflicts. Principal photography, led by cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt, commenced in June 2014 in Brooklyn and concluded in October of the same year. The final product became a point of discussion regarding the treatment of female directors in Hollywood, with Quentin Tarantino notably arguing that the film and De Niro's performance were unfairly overlooked during the awards season.

The film's premise has proven to have significant international resonance, sparking multiple adaptations. A Hindi remake, initially announced in 2020, faced numerous delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of actor Rishi Kapoor, eventually leading to a shift in the production team. Other international versions include a 2022 Japanese television series titled Riding a Unicorn and a 2026 Korean film adaptation. These remakes underscore the enduring appeal of the film's central conflict: the intersection of traditional wisdom and modern, high-pressure corporate culture.

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