‘The Apprentice’ Review: A Fascinating Biopic That Lacks Killer Instinct

Donald Trump is no stranger to the limelight. Television interviews, books, and, of course, occupying the White House have all caused Trump to become a strange center point in American history and culture at large. Now The Apprentice (no, not that Apprentice) is adding movie subject to his resume. The latest Hollywood biopic focuses on Donald J. Trump, his blossoming and ultimately volatile relationship with Roy Cohn, and his ferocious tenacity in getting the infamous Trump Tower built in New York City all while functioning as a fascinating damnification of American capitalism and the devilish people in power that run it from the top.

‘The Apprentice’ Takes Us Back to Classic New York City

Set in the late 1970s and early 1980s, The Apprentice depicts a burgeoning yet stained Manhattan. It has the eye-catching visual style of what appears to come from a camcorder that could’ve been picked up on the street corner across from The Commodore on 42nd Street that would eventually evolve into the famed and fragile Trump Tower. Director Ali Abbasi manages to capture the rapturous energy of an Adam McKay-adjacent storytelling style full of shaky snap zooms and quick cuts that provide the film an aura not dissimilar to Trump himself.

Sebastian Stan, in his second bold performance of 2024 after A Different Man, portrays a young Trump eager to make a name for himself within the New York real estate industry. Already living within the shadow of his father Fred Trump, Donald and his obsession with the upper class bring him to infamous lawyer Roy Cohn, portrayed with a Succession-esque power and prowess only attainable from the great Jeremy Strong.

In what feels like a lion’s den come to life — an invitation-only dining spot home to Cohn, his cronies, other New York elites, and Trump himself, who insists that he is the youngest person ever accepted to such a spot — a fiendish bond is formed before Trump and Cohn. Initially looking for Cohn’s impervious track record to get him out of hot water with the feds regarding his unethical renting practices at Trump Village on Coney Island, Trump soon realizes that Cohn is his key to unlocking the world he envisions; a world full of intimidation, power, and malleable truth.

Pristine Performances by Sebastian Stan & Jeremy Strong Anchor ‘The Apprentice’

Stan posits a nearly immaculate replication of Trump and his oddball mannerisms. The elongated lips, the crooked and quick head tilts, and even the offbeat cadence of his speaking habits all guide a performance that feels eerily authentic. Strong as Cohn is in the same vein — a wicked wonder that demands attention and almost submission as he teaches Trump his rules to success.

When the movie leans into the duo’s devilish deeds and enigmatic energy, it feels as if biopics have been made great again. Their relationship evolves as Cohn helps Trump skirt the DOJ’s hammer of justice regarding the Fair Housing Act. He then repeats his feats by lending his grossly unethical practices to getting a near $160 million tax abatement for the creation of the upcoming Trump Tower, an act Trump himself thought was impossible. Having seen the absolute power that the goblins and ghouls at the top of the capitalistic castle use to shape, mold, and assemble an illustrious life, Trump realizes it’s worth revolving his personality, ethics, and complete life around — and thus the Trump we know today is created says The Apprentice.

The film itself occupies a fascinating space in the culture. There’s a certain disgusting entertainment that comes from watching a young Trump go door to door in his disheveled apartment complex collecting rent and even getting boiling water thrown at him. The movie’s got humor but it’s almost impossible to ascertain how much of that humor works because of who Trump is within the modern-day news cycle versus how witty the script is.

The same goes for the tone of the movie; it feels as though it accurately positions itself as a funny satire against one of the most poisonous figures in recent history with its unflinching slashes at Trump’s misguided morality but never really reaches its potential height with just how much commentary is available for the taking. Maria Bakalova stands in as Ivana Trump bringing forth some of the darkest and most compelling aspects of the film, yet it feels as though she is unnecessarily discarded as the film progresses, failing to take full advantage of the solid performance Bakalova delivers.

An Ultimately Average Biopic That Fails To Become Something Great

It’s undeniable that the tonal turn towards distinctively diabolical works markedly well in the final 20 minutes of the movie, providing a highlight reel of all of the things that, when working, make it a great film. There is still something rather intangible about the icky nature of the picture, though. Following in a pseudo-traditional biopic style, there is some form of rooting going on, whether consciously or subconsciously, for aspects of Trump’s terroristic business tactics. Placing two villains in Cohn and Trump at the center of a movie about taking advantage of the working poor in order to amass unethical wealth and legacy makes for an interesting story that leaves a sour taste in your mouth once the credits roll and you’re transported back outside the uncanny time teleportation the film manages to pull off.

All in all, The Apprentice is worth the watch if not solely for the stellar performances it revolves around. Whether The Academy chooses to hand out acting nominations or even awards come next March for vilifying still-relevant figures is another journey altogether but one I could see happening. The score is an NYC-fueled techno-punk noise machine that aids in entertainment value even as the movie itself is rather plain in its approach, perhaps much to the chagrin of the real Donald Trump. The Apprentice is, without doubt, a good movie, and perhaps a better movie than it should have been, but one that lacks the grandiose conviction to be something truly great.

The Apprentice releases in theaters on October 11. Follow the Agents of Fandom socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.