The Intern brought together Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro for a heartwarming workplace dramedy, and there are a host of movies that capture the same charm as the 2015 blockbuster. The sleeper hit checked all the right boxes to deliver a cozy viewing experience that’s low-stakes but is still thoroughly engrossing.
With two acting powerhouses in the lead roles, the Nancy Meyers movie is able to dive into the characters and explore how they represent the differences of their respective generations. While not uproariously funny, there is a lightheartedness to counterbalance the undercurrent of drama that drives the story forward.
The starpower of De Niro and Hathaway was enough to make the movie a financial success, but The Intern is so much better than its middling reviews. While the film isn’t striving to push the boundaries of cinema, the lessons that the characters learn from one another can be applied to real life.
Plenty of films capture the same tone as The Intern, and the best dramedy movies are just the right mix of their two genres. The Intern is a lot of things, including a workplace comedy, a culture-clash comedy, and even a family drama, and there are a lot of great movies worth watching that check many of the same boxes.
10
Office Space (1999)
The Ultimate 1990s Workplace Comedy
Though The Intern is a bit more realistic with its sense of humor, it does share some similarities to Mike Judge’s irreverent workplace comedy, Office Space. Tearing down all the worst parts of working in an office environment, the cult classic set a new standard for what a workplace comedy could look like.
Many of the humorous frustrations from 1999 are still relevant in the modern day, and there are concepts in Office Space that are hilariously anтιтhetical to the philosophy of The Intern. Nevertheless, the two movies make good companion pieces, and Office Space is an enjoyable, low-stakes, viewing experience.
9
Meet The Parents (2000)
Another Legendary Comedic Role For Robert De Niro
Though he was primarily known for his dramatic roles before then, Meet the Parents was one of Robert De Niro’s best films, and his true breakout into comedy. While it diverges quite a bit from the charming humor of The Intern, Meet the Parents is an uproarious exploration of the awkward stages of integrating into a new family through marriage.
Meet the Parents grossed over $330 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo).
Unlike his role as Ben in The Intern, De Niro’s turn as Jack Byrnes is decidedly more serious, and he excels at playing the gruff straight man in every scene. The early Aughts classic was a blockbuster success, and spawned two sequels that failed to capture the magic of the original.
8
Late Night (2019)
An Underrated Mindy Kaling Comedy
2019’s Late Night came and went with little fanfare when it first released, but it’s actually one of the unsung comedy classics of the late 2010s. Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson co-star in the movie that centers on the production of a late-night talk show. Like The Intern, the heart and humor come from the disparate lead characters.
Clashing over generational as well as cultural divides, Thompson and Kaling play off one another brilliantly. There is a general heartwarming tone as the two come to respect each other, and naturally, learn a thing or two from each other too.
7
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
One Of Anne Hathaway’s Most Beloved Movies
Though she’s gone on to reach the heights of success as a dramatic actor, one of Anne Hathaway’s most popular movies is a beloved workplace comedy. The Devil Wears Prada deliciously skewers the fashion industry, and sees Hathaway play a fish-out-of-water who learns firsthand how cutthroat the industry can be.
Like The Intern, the crux of The Devil Wears Prada is a character trying to learn how to fit into the fast-paced world of their new job. The movie is a bit more plot-centric, but the humor is still universally appealing. Though the details and sense of humor are different, Hathaway is the key that links both films together.
6
Lost In Translation (2003)
A More Dramatic Counterpoint To The Intern
Sofia Coppola’s second feature film is a bit more dour than The Intern, but Lost in Translation shares a lot in common with the 2015 Robert De Niro hit. The film is set in Japan and follows Bill Murray’s aging actor character as he bonds with a young woman going through an existential crisis.
there is a bittersweet undercurrent that often makes it more of a drama than a comedy
The pairing is purely platonic, and there is a sweetness to the friendship that spans generations. Lost in Translation is quite funny in several moments, but there is a bittersweet undercurrent that often makes it more of a drama than a comedy. However, it offers a nice parallel to the soft charm of The Intern.
5
Chef (2014)
A Dramedy All About Pᴀssion For Life
Jon Favreau’s Chef is a far-cry from his MCU films, but the workplace dramedy is truly one of his best date. Favreau pulls double-duty, playing a high-end chef who tries to put his life back together by opening a food truck. As with The Intern, the movie’s main character is an experienced older man who is trying something totally new.
The two films actually share many similarities, and the tone is where they intersect the most. Though The Intern is not nearly as vulgar, it has the same moral lessons about starting over and the importance of family. Even if it might approach its subject differently, Chef is the ultimate feel-good movie.
4
Robot & Frank (2012)
A Quirky Indie Crime Comedy With A Heart Of Gold
On the surface, The Intern and Robot & Frank couldn’t be any more different, but they actually share quite a few parallels. Frank Langella stars as the тιтle character, a former jewel thief who is struggling with the early stages of dementia. He is gifted a robot care companion, whom he quickly reprograms to do his bidding.
Both films are essentially about the power of aging, and how older people are overlooked by society. Frank wants to prove he can still be a criminal mastermind, while Ben wants to share what he knows with the younger generation. Robot & Frank is a bit more off-beat, but it shares an equally powerful message with The Intern.
3
Back To School (1986)
A Beloved Rodney Dangerfield Movie From The ’80s
Unlike The Intern, the goofball comedy Back to School sets its generational clash on the campus of a college instead of in the workforce. Stand-up comic legend Rodney Dangerfield stars as a concerned parent who enrolls in the same college as his son to prove a point. What follows is plenty of wacky hijinks, and a poignant message too.
Though Ben in The Intern is sincere and earnest, Dangerfield’s Thornton Mellon is a silly slacker who tries to break all the rules. However, he is able to prove himself as a smart man in his own right, even if he doesn’t have the higher education to back it up.
2
Second Act (2018)
Jennifer Lopez Takes On The Corporate World
Jennifer Lopez starred in her own version of The Intern when she headlined 2018’s Second Act. Lopez stars as a 40-something who loses her job and decides to prove that she has what it takes to get a corporate position. Like The Intern, the Jennifer Lopez vehicle seeks to tear down the stigma about older people in the workforce.
It also tackles the idea of experience versus education, and posits that street smarts are just as valuable as those that come from a book.
It also tackles the idea of experience versus education, and posits that street smarts are just as valuable as those that come from a book. Mixing a fair amount of drama into its comedy, Second Act is every bit as enjoyable and heartwarming as the 2015 film.
1
The Internship (2013)
A Raunchy Alternative To The Intern
Released a full two years before The Intern, the similarly named film The Internship has a completely different tone. Buddy comedy duo Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn co-star as aging salesmen who managed to secure internships with Google. In order to prove that they’re worthy, they have to team up with the other interns who despise them.
The Internship shines a less-favorable light on its main characters, and is essentially the anтιтhesis of The Intern. While Ben uses his folksy wisdom to help his younger co-workers, Nick and Billy from The Internship use every underhanded tactic at their disposal. The Intern is heartwarming, while The Interhship is raunchy.
