The Apprentice begs audiences to watch the man who has tormented America for the past several years grow into the worst version of himself and become the all-too-familiar monster we know today. The film covers the start of Donald Trump’s career he turns into the product of Roy Cohn’s “mentorship,” the seed that sprouted into the corrupt and ego-ridden character that lives on America’s news stations. It is a real “monster behind the man,” type of story, but in this case, it may just be “monster behind the other monster.” Even with the slight departures from the source material, The Apprentice is still a hauntingly accurate portrayal of the narcissistic, Donald Trump.
The film begins with the meeting of Trump, an ambitious real-estate developer, and Cohn, a corrupt lawyer as Cohn welcomes him into his circle of misconduct. From there, it only gets more intense, and more reminiscent of the things heard across news and X, formerly Twitter, headlines every day. Cohn lives by three rules which are outlined for the audience early on: 1) attack, attack, attack, 2) admit to nothing, deny everything, and 3) claim victory, never admit defeat. These rules are played out in front of the audience as Trump and Cohn proceed to lie and cheat their way out of consequences and into deals that benefit them (i.e. developing Trump Tower).
The success Trump experiences is ego-boosting, to say the least, yet as he proves himself, he is infantilized by those around him, including Cohn who acts more like a father than a lawyer. As the duo’s relationship continues, Cohn subsequently fuels Trump’s ego, causing expansion to happen rapidly and conflict between the two to arise. This conflict is also a side effect of Trump’s increasingly self-obsessed attitude. He focuses less on the world around him and hones in on himself, subjecting himself to cosmetic surgery and greater and greater narcissism. He distances himself from Ivana, a part of the plot that feels relatively rushed, as he goes from having an obsession with her to losing interest in everything not involving himself.
The Apprentice does a shockingly good job of transporting viewers back in time with retro editing and classic hits like New Order by Blue Monday and Always on My Mind by the Pet Shop Boys. A grainy, MTV-esque filter is applied to some of the footage which provides a convincing 80s New York feel to the film. Additionally, the camera movement makes it feel as though the film is a documentary and, at times, blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong are on a different level of performance in this film. They embody the characters and the looks so well, that it is slightly frightening but incredibly impressive to watch. Both actors go through transformations that will leave you speechless as they truly embody these characters. Not to mention Sebastian Stan’s subtle changes in behavior and demeanor throughout the film produce an entirely different person from the one seen at the beginning. The pompous version of the character does not come from Stan until about halfway through the film. After success rolls in Trump thinks of himself like a king, King Midas to be specific, as he thinks everything he touches turns to gold. The ego Trump contains can only be carried so far before he explodes.
Written by Marli Dorn
The film begins with the meeting of Trump, an ambitious real-estate developer, and Cohn, a corrupt lawyer as Cohn welcomes him into his circle of misconduct. From there, it only gets more intense, and more reminiscent of the things heard across news and X, formerly Twitter, headlines every day. Cohn lives by three rules which are outlined for the audience early on: 1) attack, attack, attack, 2) admit to nothing, deny everything, and 3) claim victory, never admit defeat. These rules are played out in front of the audience as Trump and Cohn proceed to lie and cheat their way out of consequences and into deals that benefit them (i.e. developing Trump Tower).
The success Trump experiences is ego-boosting, to say the least, yet as he proves himself, he is infantilized by those around him, including Cohn who acts more like a father than a lawyer. As the duo’s relationship continues, Cohn subsequently fuels Trump’s ego, causing expansion to happen rapidly and conflict between the two to arise. This conflict is also a side effect of Trump’s increasingly self-obsessed attitude. He focuses less on the world around him and hones in on himself, subjecting himself to cosmetic surgery and greater and greater narcissism. He distances himself from Ivana, a part of the plot that feels relatively rushed, as he goes from having an obsession with her to losing interest in everything not involving himself.
The Apprentice does a shockingly good job of transporting viewers back in time with retro editing and classic hits like New Order by Blue Monday and Always on My Mind by the Pet Shop Boys. A grainy, MTV-esque filter is applied to some of the footage which provides a convincing 80s New York feel to the film. Additionally, the camera movement makes it feel as though the film is a documentary and, at times, blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong are on a different level of performance in this film. They embody the characters and the looks so well, that it is slightly frightening but incredibly impressive to watch. Both actors go through transformations that will leave you speechless as they truly embody these characters. Not to mention Sebastian Stan’s subtle changes in behavior and demeanor throughout the film produce an entirely different person from the one seen at the beginning. The pompous version of the character does not come from Stan until about halfway through the film. After success rolls in Trump thinks of himself like a king, King Midas to be specific, as he thinks everything he touches turns to gold. The ego Trump contains can only be carried so far before he explodes.
Written by Marli Dorn
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