If you were to picture the perfect fashion intern, 71-year-old Robert De Niro would likely not be it.
But the “Raging Bull” actor slips smoothly into the role opposite Anne Hathaway in Nancy Meyer’s upcoming comedy “The Intern,” if the new trailer is anything to go by at least.
The unusual premise is that Jules Ostin (Hathaway), founder of a fashion based e-commerce company, agrees to a community outreach program, prompting widower Ben Whittaker (De Niro) to join the firm as a trainee.
Dubbed the Senior Intern Program, he jumps right into the role, making friends with 20-something tech guys and getting back rubs from the office masseuse.
What’s most surprising about Ben’s total acceptance into the millennial fashion house is how well he gets on with Jules — despite the generations between them — and what could have been a cliche antagonistic relationship turns into a genuine friendship.
After finally joining Facebook while the pair share beer and a pizza late one night in the office, he tells her that he answered the profile question: “who inspires you” with the honest reply of “Jules Ostin.”
It’s not all sunshine and happiness in the cutthroat world of the fashion industry, however, when Jules is informed that investors want to bring in an older, more experienced CEO to head the company. “Then get me CEO lessons,” she sobs, leading inevitably to Ben being there in her time of professional heartache.
“I never had anything like this in my life, this big beautiful thing that you created,” he told her, getting the touching response of: “It’s moments like this that you need someone you know you can rely on … because you’re my intern
“The Intern” also stars Rene Russo (“Thor”), Anders Holm (“Workaholics”), Andrew Rannells (“Girls”), Adam Devine (“Pitch Perfect”), Celia Weston (“No Reservations”), Nat Wolff (“The Fault in Our Stars”), Linda Lavin (“Wanderlust”), Zack Pearlman (“The Inbetweeners”), Jason Orley and Christina Scherer (“Living with Uncle Charlie”).
Meyers also produced the film, with Suzanne Farwell. Celia Costas served as executive producer.
“The Intern” hits theaters on Sept. 25, 2015, and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Watch the trailer here.