Robert De Niro’s 2015 workplace comedy The Intern has surged in popularity once again, a decade after its release. The film stars Anne Hathaway and De Niro as leads and collected a whopping $197 million at the box office worldwide during its initial theatrical run, against a production budget of just $35 million. Today, the film is headlining once again as it has topped the Netflix charts in the U.S. at the time of writing this, which is just after the second day of its release!
Directed by Nancy Meyers, the movie pairs Hathaway and De Niro, a 70-year-old widower taking a unique turn in his life, by interning at a fashion startup. The Intern gently highlights the themes of intergenerational mentorship and work-life balance, topics extremely relevant in the post-pandemic world grappling with remote work, ageism, and burnout. Years ago, it was dismissed as “an overdose of blandness” by The Hollywood Reporter’s Stephen Farber, despite doing well at the box office and scoring 73% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Intern’s reappraisal turned out to be De Niro’s career vindication after his recent disastrous attempt in the 2025 mob drama The Alto Knights, which has only managed to rake in merely $9.5 million worldwide. Plus, as compared to his gangster-typecasting in The Alto Knights, The Intern, for a change, underscores his comedic timing and emotional depth as Ben Whittaker.
Why The Intern Hits Harder in 2025?
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
The digital exhaustion of 2025 calls for Ben’s charming quirks and 2015 analog habits. The subtle mentorship of a male colleague without a condescending demeanor and his support to a female boss’s authority without paternalism is the allyship we all need in our offices. The film also hits the hot-button issue of ageism as Ben faces skepticism from younger colleagues at first, which played for laughs in 2015. Now, they’re a rallying cry since 64% of people over 50 face age discrimination at their workplace in the U.S., according to AARP.
Meyers’ depiction of the feminist undertones in the movie is now startlingly relevant as Jules’ struggle to juggle investor expectations, motherhood, and self-doubt. Ben doesn’t guide her – he simply listens, supports and reassures. His presence helps Jules rediscover herself, something that overwhelmed working women need today. The way Meyers portrayed a strong yet vulnerable female lead and highlighted her ambitions without villanizing her was way ahead of its time.
The Intern, therefore, has hit Gen Z and millennials and perhaps has turned out to be a nice cozy watch for everybody who hadn’t seen this film before. As per a 2016 interview with Metro, filmmaker Quentin Tarantino also called it “Oscar-worthy” and “one of De Niro’s best performances” to date. Reportedly, the film is all set for a Bollywood remake as well, starring Amitabh Bachchan in the titular role, next to Deepika Padukone.
The Intern is now streaming on Netflix and is also available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. The Alto Knights is also currently streaming on Max.
 |
The Intern |
|---|---|
| Cast | Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo, Anders Holm, Andrew Rannells |
| Release Date | September 25, 2015 |
| Stream On | Netflix |
| Directed by | Nancy Meyers |
| Produced by | Nancy Meyers, Suzanne Farwell |
| Based On | Original screenplay by Nancy Meyers |
| Plot Summary | A 70-year-old widower becomes an intern at an online fashion site, forming an unexpected bond with its young CEO. |
| Musical Elements | Score by Theodore Shapiro |
| Current Status | Released on September 25, 2015; currently trending on Netflix U.S. |
Follow Us
