New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Kim Hollis: The Intern, a Nancy Meyers comedy featuring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro, earned $17.7 million this weekend. What do you think of this result?

Edwin Davies: This strikes me as a pretty strong start. Nancy Meyers' films are aimed squarely at older audiences who don't rush out on opening weekend, so for a film of hers to open near to $20 million with pretty minimal advertising speaks volumes about her continued appeal and the goodwill generated by her previous work. If it has the same legs as her last film, It's Complicated, then The Intern could wind up with around $90 million. That's unlikely since It's Complicated opened in December and benefited from Christmas viewing habits, advantages The Intern doesn't have, but $70 million seems very achievable, which would be a good result for a modestly budgeted comedy without much of a hook. It was probably a smart choice to open it in September, too, since the middling reviews might have led to it being overshadowed if it had opened in Meyers' usual December stomping ground.

Ryan Kyle: I do not have much more to offer to this discussion besides everything Edwin has already expertly pointed out. This opening sits perfectly among Nancy Meyers' other films, but the lack of a holiday period will definitely prevent it from having extraordinary multiples. I still expect strong enough legs to approach the $60 million range, though. Competition for adult audiences is more rabid than usual this year as the Oscar onslaught has started earlier; however, The Intern has the benefit of being a lighthearted comedy unlike the heavier drama fare invading theaters in the next few weeks.

Kim Hollis: Although it beat expectations, I'm not really surprised by this performance. It's the kind of bland comedy that seems to appeal to older audiences, and the familiarity of Robert De Niro really pushes it over the top. The formula continues to work for Meyers. Even though younger women seem to be turning away from rom-coms, older women seem to like the comfort food that her brand of movie offers.

David Mumpower: Apparently, I expected the least for this one. While I love De Niro, memories of The Intership were fresh in my mind as we entered last week. That's a film that skews younger, but it seemed to have more going for it on paper. It's also a fairly charming film yet it grossed less than $45 million domestically. I'm kind of shocked that The Intern is going to do this much better overall. Yes, Ms. Myers is a master of targeting the older demographic, but that usually occurs over time rather than on opening weekend. I honestly don't think De Niro gets enough credit for his box office performances since 2000. He's not bulletproof, but his track record is truly fantastic for such a venerable presence.

Continued:       1       2