The Apprentice Film Review

The Apprentice (In Theatres October 11th 2024)

Dir: Alli Abbasi 

Starring: Jeremy Strong, Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova

Run Time: 122 min

    There is a standard film, mini-series or made-for-television movie about former presidents. This year’s biographical film highlight was about former President Reagan, who is considered and held up as the ideal republican candidate and a god in his own party, by director Sean McNamara. It was good but I feel that it landed with the wrong director, as McNamara holds more of a director's chair of children's films including Bratz or The Even Stevens Movie. I always wondered who would direct the film about the Trump presidency and I only have one answer, Adam Mckay. Even before what we know as the Trump presidency and a candidate with a vendetta to destroy democracy and using the platform to air his own personal grievances, there were the people who made him a real estate mogul. This is where The Apprentice from Director Alli Abbasi comes in, to take a look at 1980’s Donald Trump and his important relationship with Roy Cohen, and others, that would shape him to be the man he is today.  

    Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) as a real estate man wanted to make a name for himself, and show his father Fred Trump Sr (Martin Donovan) that he can become successful all on his own ambitions. He also had a vision for New York to make it filled with opulent buildings, and that it would get rid of the crime and grime that befell the city in the 80’s, and put New York’s reputation back on the map. The features would be opulent hotels and one of the biggest buildings, according to him, Trump Tower. He was tasked with being the rent collector for his dad’s properties, most tenants had disdain for him and his father. As well, his family faced a barrage of comments from New Yorkers that they were not being fair when it came to renting properties and held discriminatory tactics against African American tenants. Given this barrage of comments, which also included litigations in court, and the fact that Donald wanted to build more, he would need a friend in a high place. 

    Enter Roy Cohen (Jeremy Strong) lawyer and prosecutor who would take Trump under his wing, and act as a legal friend and fixer. His rules for success in life are attack, attack and attack, admit nothing while denying everything, finally claim victory and never admit defeat. As their relationship continued Trump would get more ambitious with his projects including a casino in Atlantic City, which Cohen did not support because his finances were catching up to him including his debts. Cohen later on would become one of the many victims of the AIDS epidemic, which put a strain on their friendship as Trump no longer wanted to associate with him and kept him at a distance. Cohen would call Trump out on his depravity towards their friendship, Cohen by no means a saint as his AIDS memorial quilt included the words bully, coward and victim. 

    Another relationship that is discussed in this film is Ivana Trump (Maria Bakalova) his first wife who also acted as a business partner normally from the design standpoint. It can be seen from behind the scenes that Trump had affairs on the side, and there is also a scene in the film that takes personal liberties where Donald forced himself on Ivana against her will. This scene caused a commotion that would lead the Trump Team to unsuccessfully put out a cease and desist order against the film. We see his relationship with his brother Fred Trump JR, where his brother suffered from alcoholism given Trump's strong stance on sobriety from alcohol today. There is a scene around the end of the film where he uses Fred Trump Sr's ailing health and mental capacity to sign documents that were only beneficial to his son Donald and his real estate ambitions. 

    Director Alli Abbasi sets the tone of the 80s well through the ascetic of the filmmaking looking like a home movie and the soundtrack to put you in the era. Both Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong deliver notable performances that will possibly receive some recognition come award season.  At the end of all of this, we can see who made Donald Trump the man he is today and the one word that comes to mind through his relationships and the way he uses them is depravity. It’s the same formula he has been running his presidential campaigns with, his own personal gripes and grievances with a blunt disregard for those he hurts along the way. His vitriol rhetoric has stoked fear and division in the United States of America. Maybe we don’t need a Trump presidency movie and we can move forward to a better future instead of remembering the past.