The Intern (2015) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A driven CEO learns to accept support, confront personal and professional pressure, and preserve her own vision.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

A Second Career Begins

A bored retiree applies for a senior internship at a rapidly growing fashion company. Jules initially doubts the value of the unusual appointment.

Key Events

• Retirement Restlessness — A seventy-year-old widower becomes bored with retirement and seeks a new purpose. Location: New York
• Senior Intern Application — A retired executive applies for the newly created senior intern position. Location: About the Fit
• Three Interns Hired — About the Fit hires three senior interns, assigning one to Jules. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• CEO Skepticism — Jules initially remains skeptical and ignores the senior intern assigned to her. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: Jules's Office
• Desk Reorganization — The senior intern organizes Jules's messy desk, earning her good graces. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: Jules's Office

Trust Through Service

The senior intern earns Jules's respect through practical help, emergency driving, and personal reliability. An awkward conversation briefly threatens the new connection.

Key Events

• Chauffeur Crisis — Jules's chauffeur is found drinking, so the senior intern persuades him to leave. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• Emergency Driving — The senior intern temporarily acts as Jules's chauffeur and drives her home. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: Brooklyn Streets
• Personal Questions — After the driver fails to appear, Becky asks the senior intern to pick Jules up; personal questions make Jules uncomfortable. Characters: Jules Ostin, Becky Location: Jules's Car
• Intern Reassignment — Jules asks Cameron to reassign the senior intern because of the intrusive personal conversation. Characters: Jules Ostin, Cameron Location: About the Fit Office
• Shared Building History — Jules learns that the senior intern worked for decades in the same building now occupied by her company. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• Doris Takes Over — Cameron replaces the senior intern with Doris, whose driving nearly causes a crash. Characters: Jules Ostin, Cameron, Doris Location: About the Fit Office

Pressure Behind Success

Jules restores the senior intern to her team, and his assistance eases her workload. Family embarrassment and professional pressure begin to expose the cost of her success.

Key Events

• Apology And Return — Jules apologizes and begs the senior intern to return after Doris proves unsuitable. Characters: Jules Ostin, Doris Location: About the Fit Office
• Workload Relief — Jules begins assigning work, and the senior intern helps reduce her workload. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• Angry Email Mistake — Jules accidentally sends a scathing email about her mother to her mother. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• Computer Break-In — The senior intern leads coworkers into the house to delete the email, narrowly avoiding police. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: Jules's Mother's House
• CEO Pressure — Investors pressure Jules to give up her CEO position because of the company's growing workload. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• Leadership Concession — Jules agrees to consider an outside CEO, believing it may give her more time at home. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office

Choosing What Matters

Jules considers replacing herself as CEO to protect her family life. A difficult marriage revelation and an honest appeal force her to reassess that choice.

Key Events

• San Francisco Interview — Jules travels to San Francisco with the senior intern to interview a potential CEO candidate. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: San Francisco
• Private Confession — Jules reveals that she knows about her husband's infidelity but has not confronted him. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: San Francisco
• CEO Hiring Decision — Jules decides to hire the prospective CEO to create time to save her marriage. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• Passion Reminder — The senior intern urges Jules to remember the effort and passion used to build About the Fit. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: About the Fit Office
• Jules Reconsiders — Jules's husband supports her dreams and says the affair is over, prompting her to reconsider the CEO decision. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: Jules's Office
• Tai Chi Reunion — Jules finds the senior intern taking the day off and joins the tai chi group, finally relaxing. Characters: Jules Ostin Location: Tai Chi Exercise Group

Story Breakdown

• Retirement Reawakens — A widower seeks purpose after becoming dissatisfied with retirement.
  • Boredom Emerges — Retirement leaves him without a satisfying daily role.
  • Internship Application — He applies for a senior internship at About the Fit.
• Unusual Hiring Experiment — About the Fit introduces senior interns while Jules remains uncertain about the arrangement.
  • New Position — The company creates a senior intern role.
  • CEO Resistance — Jules initially ignores the intern assigned to her.
• Trust Through Help — Practical assistance gradually changes Jules's view of the senior intern.
  • Messy Desk — Organizing Jules's desk earns her approval.
  • Chauffeur Substitute — He handles an emergency transportation problem for Jules.
• Workplace Reversal — An uncomfortable exchange leads to reassignment, but the replacement proves ineffective.
  • Personal Boundaries — Jules asks Cameron to reassign the intern after personal questions.
  • Doris Fails — Doris nearly crashes while serving as Jules's replacement.
• Restored Partnership — Jules recognizes the value of dependable assistance and brings the senior intern back.
  • Apology Offered — Jules apologizes and asks the senior intern to return.
  • Workload Eased — His support helps Jules manage her growing responsibilities.
• Personal Embarrassment — A careless email creates a risky and humiliating problem for Jules.
  • Email Misfire — Jules sends a harsh message about her mother to her mother.
  • Computer Retrieval — The senior intern organizes an attempt to delete the message.
• Leadership Crisis — Investors challenge Jules's ability to remain CEO as the company expands.
  • Investor Pressure — Investors propose bringing in an outside CEO.
  • Succession Considered — Jules considers the change to gain more time for her family.
• Marriage Strain — Jules's private life becomes central to her decision about leadership.
  • Infidelity Revealed — Jules admits that she knows about her husband's affair.
  • Marriage Hope — Her husband says the affair is over and supports her ambitions.
• Vision Reclaimed — Jules reevaluates whether abandoning the CEO role would solve her problems.
  • Passion Remembered — The senior intern reminds Jules of the effort behind her company.
  • Decision Reversed — Jules changes her mind about hiring an outside CEO.
• Quiet Emotional Release — Jules joins the tai chi group and allows herself a moment of relaxation.
  • Day Off — The senior intern takes a day away from work.
  • Shared Relaxation — Jules joins the exercise group and finally relaxes.

Directed by

Nancy Meyers

Key Cast

• Robert De Niro — Ben Whitaker
• Anne Hathaway — Jules Ostin
• Rene Russo — Fiona Farwell
• Anders Holm — Matt Ostin
• JoJo Kushner — Paige Ostin