Movies

Why The Intern’s Portrayal of Millennial Men on Netflix Is So Off Base

BBG News

In autumn 2015, my spouse and I attended the screening of “The Intern,” the latest film from director Nancy Meyers, who’s famous for ’90s hits and classic romantic comedies. Despite being captivated by the movie featuring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, there was a minor detail that inexplicably irritated me. It’s not significant enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the film; it’s simply a tiny aspect that I recall, then forget about later on.

Now, you can stream “The Intern” with a Netflix subscription, and the film’s unique take on aging has once more become popular. This has stirred up an old thought in my mind – as if it were 2015 and I’m encountering it for the first time again. Let me share my thoughts…

I Enjoy The Intern, But Nancy Meyers’ Portrayal Of Millennial Men Is Absurd

By this point, you’re likely familiar with the overall storyline of “The Intern” – a former widower lands an internship at a flourishing online fashion company, and we follow the events unfold in the movie. I appreciate almost everything about Ben Whittaker, portrayed by Robert De Niro, and Jules Ostin, played by Anne Hathaway. However, there’s one aspect that I find problematic – Nancy Meyers’ depiction of Millennial men.

In the film, almost every male character other than Ben is either depicted as bumbling young men like the interns and junior staff, or as unfaithful partners struggling with emotional expression, such as Jules’ husband (played by Anders Holm). It seems that today’s men, at least in 2015, have evolved significantly from their counterparts 50 years ago. However, the generalized portrayal of an entire generation in this way, as if they all fit into a single mold, appears unrealistic and out of touch with modern societal norms.

Yeah, We Don’t Dress Or Act Like Robert De Niro’s Generation, But We’re Not Hapless

A particular scene in the movie ‘The Intern’ really bothers me and makes my skin feel uncomfortable, to the point where I seem like a ghost walking around. During a gathering after work (as shown in the movie’s old trailer), Jules, speaking to Ben and a group of younger male colleagues, says something that sounds like it came from an older relative complaining on Facebook rather than an Academy Award-winning actress in a big studio film: ‘In just one generation, men have gone from being like Jack Nicholson and Harrison Ford to…’ while looking at one of the millennial guys.

As a film enthusiast, let me clarify my perspective on “The Intern.” While the younger characters might symbolize today’s man, they don’t embody the rugged masculinity we associate with Ben’s generation. But times have undeniably shifted! We’re not the clueless, careless, or timid folks portrayed in this film. Frankly, it’s mind-boggling that such a representation has been presented.

Despite the humor that might be inherent in my criticism, it’s hard to deny that the depiction of young men in “The Intern” by Nancy Meyers appears quite unrealistic.

In this rephrased sentence, I have attempted to maintain the original meaning while making the language more conversational and easier to understand.

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2025-06-26 12:07

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