Donald Trump’s life story is the kind of source material that Hollywood dreams of—a gaudy, larger-than-life drama with a filling side of absurdity. The Apprentice, the biopic on him, takes a stab (or several) at Trump’s rise from a fledgling New York real estate mogul to the pop culture monolith (and President?) he’d eventually become. Directed by Ali Abbasi and written by journalist Gabriel Sherman, The Apprentice walks the precarious tightrope between satire and sincerity, often wobbling but never dull.
If you missed its initial release, there’s no better time than now to indulge in this rather peculiar film. Here’s why you should give it a go—even if the thought of more Trump in your life makes you groan.
1. It’s a Frankenstein story… starring Trump
It could be argued that this is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but instead of a stitched-together monster, it’s Donald Trump in a suit. That’s truly the vibe of The Apprentice. Roy Cohn, infamous attorney, and political operator, plays the role of Dr. Frankenstein in this instance, grooming a young and impressionable Trump (portrayed by Sebastian Stan) to become the ultimate capitalist product. Then there’s Fred Trump, the patriarch whose ruthless business practices laid the groundwork for his son’s empire.
Cohn’s three commandments—“Attack, attack, attack,” “Admit nothing, deny everything,” and “Claim victory, and never admit defeat”—are passed down with Shakespearean gravitas, setting the stage for Trump’s future modus operandi. It’s melodramatic, sure, but it’s also fascinating to see the seeds being planted.
2. The first act will hook you
The film’s opening hour is a surprisingly compelling dive into 1970s New York, a world of smoky backrooms, shady deals, and cutthroat ambition. Young Trump’s awkward attempts to ingratiate himself with Cohn—including a cringeworthy bathroom stall meeting—are equal parts amusing and unsettling. It’s here that the film feels most alive, capturing the ambition and moral flexibility that would come to define its subject.
Sebastian Stan delivers a layered performance as the younger Trump – ambition with a touch of insecurity. Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Roy Cohn, meanwhile, is chillingly charismatic. These scenes, brimming with tension and dark humor, set up a promising trajectory for the film… before it eventually veers off course.
3. It’s so bad, it’s good
The second half of The Apprentice is a mess. By the time the film jumps to the 1980s, Trump has transformed into a swaggering caricature of Reagan-era excess. His obsession with “winners” and “losers” is hammered home with all the subtlety of a jackhammer. And yet, this descent into absurdity is weirdly entertaining.
Stan’s exaggerated delivery of lines like “loser” feels like an unintentional homage to Alec Baldwin’s SNL impression, while the script tosses in MAGA Easter eggs that feel almost like a wink to the audience. It’s the kind of unintentional comedy that keeps you watching if only to see how much more ridiculous it can get.
4. It cannot be put into a box
Call it tonal whiplash or call it avant-garde storytelling—either way, the film’s energy mirrors its subject perfectly. One moment, it’s a drama about New York’s corrupt real estate scene; the next, it’s slapstick satire of the American Dream gone awry. It’s jarring, yes, but also oddly fitting. Trump’s life has always defied categorization, so why shouldn’t his biopic?
Director Ali Abbasi seems to lean into this dissonance, oscillating between earnestness and parody. The result is a movie that’s as polarizing and unpredictable as Trump himself. Some might call it a trainwreck, others might call it art. Either way, it’s hard to look away.
5. It’s the perfect conversation starter
Despite its flaws, The Apprentice offers plenty to talk about. The performances, particularly Jeremy Strong’s Cohn and Maria Bakalova’s brief but impactful turn as Ivana Trump, are worth discussing. The film’s exploration of the mentor-mentee dynamic between Cohn and Trump is genuinely intriguing, even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing.
The ending—a shrug of a conclusion that essentially says, “This guy is who he is.” For a film that aims to look at the layers of the most enigmatic and important figures in modern history, it’s a bit of a cop-out. But maybe that’s the point. Trump’s rise defies easy explanations, and the film’s refusal to offer one feels almost honest in its own way.
Having premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Trump’s re-election campaign dismissed the film as ‘pure fiction‘ and ‘blatantly false,‘ while director Ali Abbasi extended an olive branch, offering to privately screen it for the president-elect.
For those wondering how to watch, The Apprentice is available on digital on-demand platforms in the US and UK. Reviews have been largely positive, with an 83% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a slew of award nominations, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture for Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan’s nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.
Whether you view it as a satire, a tragedy, or a comedy of errors, The Apprentice is undeniably a product of its time. It’s a film that attempts to capture the essence of a man who’s been inescapable for decades, for better or worse.
Catch The Apprentice on Prime
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