The Intern – A Summer of Lust is not a good film in the conventional sense – it is derivative, unevenly acted, and narratively messy. Yet, as a time capsule of late-2010s direct-to-streaming erotic cinema, it offers camp value and a few genuinely steamy, if not artistically justified, sequences. Recommended only for completionists of the genre or viewers seeking a guilt-free, low-stakes thriller to laugh with (and at). For anyone expecting a thoughtful drama about workplace power dynamics, look elsewhere – perhaps to the vastly superior 2015 film The Intern with Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, which, ironically, shares a title but not a single other quality.
Visually, the director employs a glossy, high-contrast aesthetic: sun-drenched balconies, cold blue office lighting, and sultry, shadow-filled hotel rooms. The score is a forgettable mix of breathy synth pads and generic bass drops, common to low-budget erotic dramas of the late 2010s. the intern – a summer of lust (2019)
True to its title, The Intern – A Summer of Lust explores lust not only as a physical desire but as a metaphor for power, ambition, and self-destruction. The film critiques the modern “hustle culture” internship, where young workers are promised opportunity but are often exploited. The glass-walled office becomes a voyeuristic arena – every glance, every late-night text, every “closed-door meeting” carries the weight of seduction and betrayal. The Intern – A Summer of Lust is
★½ (1.5/5) – “More lust than logic, and not enough of either to satisfy.” For anyone expecting a thoughtful drama about workplace
Her mentor, – a charming, enigmatic senior executive with a mysterious past – takes a personal interest in her career. What begins as professional guidance quickly escalates into a torrid, clandestine affair. As the summer heat intensifies, Chloe discovers that Julian is entangled with two other women in the office: the jaded but magnetic art director, Sloane , and the icy, ambitious HR manager, Rebecca , who is also Julian’s ex-lover.
When Chloe uncovers evidence of corporate embezzlement tied to Julian’s private deals, the film pivots from pure sensuality to a tense thriller. She must decide whether to protect the man she’s falling for, expose the corruption and risk her career, or use the information to climb the corporate ladder herself.
The Intern – A Summer of Lust follows ambitious college senior, Chloe Harris , who lands a highly competitive summer internship at a sleek, cutthroat marketing firm in downtown Los Angeles. Eager to prove herself, Chloe expects long hours of data entry and coffee runs. Instead, she finds herself drawn into a web of office politics, secret affairs, and after-hours decadence.