There seems to be only three genres for young adult novels that get turned into films: dystopian future where all the kids are fighting for their lives, the standard issued vampire/werewolf love stories, and sick kids falling in love.
It’s not surprising that only half of The Internship works, but it is odd that the second half is much better than the first. However, given that waterboarding would be a preferable form of torture to The Internship‘s first 45 minutes, anything would be an improvement.