The film is recognized for its "female gaze" approach, which aims to center the narrative on female perspectives and agency. This stylistic choice distinguishes it from more traditional cinematic tropes within the genre. Reviews of the film highlight several key aspects:
Elena: "You make space for people. That's a rare skill." Ben: "I've had a lot of practice at losing things. Makes you better at holding on."
How different directors use Mediterranean settings to establish cinematic tone the intern a summer of lust 2019 better
: Months later, Maddie goes completely missing. Her straight-laced older sister, Paisley (Casey Calvert), flies to Barcelona to investigate her disappearance.
The film follows Maddie, a young woman who travels from the United States to Spain to participate in a creative internship. Immersed in a new, open-minded community and living with her roommate Michael, Maddie experiences a significant personal evolution as she navigates a foreign culture and professional environment. The film is recognized for its "female gaze"
So, what does "better" mean in this context? Let's reframe it: For those tired of sanitized, predictable stories and seeking something unapologetically authentic, this film is a bolder, more intelligent, and more genuinely provocative coming-of-age story. It's a "better" choice for an audience looking for complex characters, a fearless exploration of female desire, and a narrative set against the vibrant, bohemian backdrop of Barcelona. Here’s why.
Instead, he finds an envelope. Inside is a letter of recommendation—glowing, professional, and impersonal. He looks up to the balcony overlooking the lobby. Sylvie is there, shaking hands with a client. She doesn't look down. That's a rare skill
The film remains a point of discussion for its attempt to blend mystery elements with an exploration of personal liberation in a modern European setting. The Intern - A Summer of Lust (Video 2019) - IMDb
Strainer plays Chloe not as a victim or a vixen, but as a hyper-intelligent young woman who is bored . Her lust for Mark isn't just physical—it's intellectual. She is turned on by the fact that she knows she is smarter than him but he holds the power. That conflicted, almost self-destructive energy is rare on screen. In one monologue, delivered tearfully in a parked Prius, she says: "I don't want him. I want to want him. There's a difference."
Released in late 2019, Erika Lust's erotic drama The Intern: A Summer of Lust represented a highly anticipated shift toward feature-length narrative adult cinema. Set against the gorgeous backdrop of Barcelona, the film explores the concepts of sexual awakening, ethical adult production, and the contrasts between rigid American sensibilities and European liberation.
Director Lena O’Neil shot the entire film through a hazy, golden filter. In 2019, some called it "Instagram-core." Today, we recognize it as a deliberate metaphor for the distortion of memory. The summer feels dreamy because Chloe is unreliable narrator, looking back at her own choices. The excessive bloom on the highlights, the way sweat glistens like guilt—these were not mistakes. They were choices that age like fine wine.