There was once a time when it seemed like Ali Abbasi’s Donald Trump movie The Apprentice would never be released. Legal action from one of Trump’s allies who produced the film threatened to stall the release, but now that has been settled, and audiences are getting to see this portrait of the former President’s younger years just in time for election season. Although it’s not as salacious as the controversy would have you believe, The Apprentice has great performances, excellent production value, and a snappy script that will leave audiences satisfied.
The Apprentice Review
The Apprentice tells the story of Donald Trump in the 1970s and 80s as he became one of the most successful real-estate moguls in the world under the tutelage of notorious lawyer Roy Cohn, despite facing many setbacks along the way. Of course, this isn’t a rags-to-riches story where you root for the underdog. Instead, you’re watching bad people exploit a bad system and cheering for their downfall.
Trump is played by Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), who gives an excellent performance in the role. Although this could have easily been an SNL-style impersonation, Stan instead seems to create his own version of the figure. He does many of the mannerisms and the voice, but it’s clear that this is not a faithful depiction of Trump, nor a caricature. It’s all of his worst tendencies and characteristics manifested in a character, and Stan brings them to life in a fittingly horrifying way.
However, the even more impressive performance comes from Jeremy Strong (Succession), whose turn as lawyer and political puppet master Roy Cohn is downright chilling. Although Al Pacino’s portrayal of Cohn in Mike Nichols’s Angels of America remains the definitive version for its vulnerability, Strong shows him as an absolutely savage backstabber. Yet, behind this arrogant facade, a deep sadness and discomfort make it all the more terrifying. We’re not watching someone fall into a trap of making the wrong decisions — we’re watching someone who knows they’re wrong and deliberately does it anyway.
Indeed, this is what makes The Apprentice such an interesting, compelling inversion of the “fly too close to the sun” narrative. This is not a cautionary tale about good people who get corrupted and become evil. It’s a story about evil people who exploit the system for personal gain. It’s clear from the opening moments, in which we see Trump essentially working as a goon strong-arming his father’s tenants into paying rent, that the man we see is NOT a man of the people.
The Apprentice is not particularly interested in Donald Trump the politician (apart from a few tongue-in-cheek jabs to moments when he said he did not intend to run for office), nor is it interested in offering a nuanced approach to the former President. Admittedly, the film will do little to change viewers’ opinions — those who are already against Trump will have their opinions echoed, and those who are pro-Trump will deny the reality of anything they see. But the purpose here is simply to paint Trump as greedy and self-serving, and Sherman’s script is quite effective in this regard.
Beyond that, The Apprentice is also an incredibly entertaining, slick melodrama. It has much of the same appeal as Succession — watching bad people get humiliated is fun. Although one could argue that knowing the real-life success of the film’s subject makes it more difficult to truly believe and get invested in his losses, it’s still fun to see a bully get knocked down, no matter how insignificant the fall is in the grand scheme of things.
Abbasi also does a great job creating the film’s aesthetic, ripping the visual style straight out of ‘70s and ‘80s melodramas. It has an almost faded VHS look, like you’re watching a relic of the past. The production design and hair and make-up are both on-point, bringing you back to the glamorous but seedy business world of New York in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Is The Apprentice worth watching?
Frankly, if you’re seeing The Apprentice, you probably know exactly what you’re getting into. It’s not the most nuanced film, but getting to see Donald Trump portrayed as a greedy, selfish doofus is an incredibly cathartic and enjoyable experience.
The Apprentice played at the 2024 edition of Fantastic Fest, which runs September 5-14.
The Apprentice Fantastic Fest Review — Watch Sebastian Stan Destroy Donald Trump in a Stylish Melodrama
The Apprentice may not have a ton of subtlety or nuance, but its portrait of its subject’s greed in his younger years is quite effective nevertheless. Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong’s wonderful performances take this entertaining picture to the next level.
