Biopic
Drama
Review: ‘The Apprentice’ is a Shallow Look at the Man, the Myth and the Punch Line that is Donald Trump
October 11, 2024Ben MK
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One of the most bizarre American success stories ever, the career of Donald J. Trump is one that will be studied by historians for years to come. From his early days helping to manage the family business to his ascension to real estate tycoon, reality television star, and even the Oval Office, Trump has never been one to let his means dictate his ambitions. Despite the many allegations and the indictments that have been raised against him, the 78-year-old has always displayed an uncanny talent for bouncing back, no matter the low. And with The Apprentice, that's exactly the Donald Trump viewers get, in this fly-on-the-wall biopic about the once and possibly future President of the United States. Set sometime between the '70s and '80s, the film follows a young Trump (Sebastian Stan), as he struggles to make a name for himself outside of his father's shadow. Beginning with his obsession with the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and segueing directly into his fortuitous meeting with Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), the former advisor to beleaguered President Richard Nixon, we watch as the then-20-something-year-old upstart sets out to take New York City by storm, thanks to some well-timed help from his new mentor, Cohn. Initially hired as a defense attorney to help the Trump family out with a government lawsuit that threatens their business empire, Cohn quickly takes a shining to Trump, bringing him under his wing and mentoring him in all aspects of wheeling and dealing. However, when the pair find their destinies diverging, it sets the stage for an epic fallout, as Trump finds his fortunes soaring while Cohn sees his health declining and his reputation downward spiralling. At the same time, The Apprentice also chronicles Trump's personal life, from his tenuous ties to his dad, Fred (Martin Donovan), and his older brother, Freddy (Charlie Carrick), to his courtship and marriage to his first wife, former model turned interior designer Ivana Zelníčková (Maria Balalova). Much like Trump's friendship with Cohn, though, it's not all wine and roses when it comes to his romantic endeavors. And while the early days of his and Ivana's relationship prove to be nothing short of a modern-day fairy tale, as audiences may already know, things inevitably grow sour. It's a turn of events that mirrors the growing rift between Trump and his mentor, with both Strong and Bakalova competing with the another to show which one of them can display the most disdain for Stan's power-hungry megalomaniac. In the end, however, Strong comes out on top in this arena, thanks to screenwriter Gabriel Sherman's script and its emphasis on Trump's professional tribulations. Suffice to say, director Ali Abbasi doesn't let much of the movie's screen time go to waste. Yet, while that works splendidly for the first half of The Apprentice, which is largely spent documenting Trump's rise to power, it doesn't fare so well for the film's latter portion, which mostly comes across as a rushed attempt to cram in as many plot points and check off as many items from Trump's Wikipedia page as possible. It's unfortunate, really, as Stan's portrayal of Trump certainly resonates as a very convincing impersonation, wisely avoiding veering towards parody and painting the former President in almost an empathetic light. Ultimately, though, Stan is let down by the movie and the script, which seem more focused on hitting the usual biopic beats rather than tailoring the narrative to the quirks and particularities of the subject matter and its subject. It all adds up to one of the genre's shallower entries. Nonetheless, with Trump's name still very much in the headlines, there's no doubt that the result will surely find its audience. Either way, moviegoers in the mood for a Trump portrayal that doesn't involve Saturday Night Live or a late-night talk show will most likely find that The Apprentice hits the mark. For those seeking a more in-depth examination of one of the 20th century's most polarizing figures, on the other hand, you'd be better off looking elsewhere. The Apprentice releases October 11th, 2024 from Mongrel Media. The film has an MPAA rating of R for sexual content, some graphic nudity, language, sexual assault, and drug use. Its runtime is 2 hrs. |
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