‘The Apprentice’ LFF 2024 Review: How Trump Learnt to Be Bad
Since its production was first announced, a striking storm of opinions and controversies have surrounded The Apprentice, The Trump biopic; will this film attempt to humanise Trump? Is it simply a screed campaign against the former president? Most opinionated of all is the subject of the film himself, Trump, who has denounced the film as a “politically disgusting hatchet job”. But now in cinemas, The Apprentice can defend itself.
Having seen it at the BFI’s London Film Festival, I understand why director Ali Abbasi fought so hard to make this film.
Abbasi’s direction, high-quality sets, and talented colourists transport us to 1970s New York where a young Donald Trump (played by Marvel star Sebastian Stan) strives to carve out a name for himself in real estate, away from his father’s shadow. In his young, inexperienced years Trump meets influential lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong) who imparts his ruthless tactics and introduces Trump to America’s elite circle of power. We then follow them into the '80s where Trump has accumulated a level of success that had the other yuppies of the decade foaming at the mouth.
Sebastian Stan takes the potentially-problematic lead role gracefully, balancing the script’s blend of satire and seriousness in his nuanced portrayal. Starting off as youthful and naive, Stan skillfully evolves his performance as Trump’s character adapts to his rising power. A surgery scene near the finale feels like it's replicating the final outfit reveal in a villain's origin story. Indeed, Stan wears Trump as a suit, his mouth moving over vowels in perfect mimicry.
Trump may be the focal point of this movie, but it is the dangerous dynamic between him and Cohn that drives the film’s plot and themes forward. And thus, Stan’s Trump is nothing without his other half, Jeremy Strong’s Roy Cohn. Strong, best known for his role as Kendall Roy in Succession - the character we love to hate and hate to love - once again showcases his exceptional talent in his portrayal of lizard-like villain Cohn. Here Cohn is illustrated as a character of contradictions; his obscenely warm tan juxtaposes his icy-cold demeanour, and Cohn’s expressive use of prejudiced language contradicts his closeted homosexuality. A psychoanalyst may beg the question of how much of his hatred has been internalised as this influential lawyer was most famous for helping Senator McCarthy persecute the gay population, a demographic the film points out he is secretly a part of.
In fact, there is almost a sexual tension underlying the start of Cohn's mentorship over Trump. Their relationship is similar to Ancient Greek pederasty, with Cohn as the knowledgeable citizen of the daunting society Trump has just entered. Trump needs to learn how to act and who to know. How does Cohn want Trump to act? Formidably. Cohn entrusts Donald with his rules to winning, including never admitting to anything but victory. But, just like Frankenstein losing control of his monster, Cohn struggles to control Trump’s growing narcissism, and the mentee eventually dominates.
There is a shift in tone in these final scenes, moments of comedy become less frequent and the two main actors' performances adapt to this. Stan’s replication of Trump in his prime foregrounds this man’s abuse of power, sexual violence and general narcissism. The protagonist becomes the antagonist as he embodies the vile traits he has absorbed. In parallel, Cohn’s fall from grace allows Strong to demonstrate his skill; even with the most despicable characters, he knows how to pull at the heartstrings. Sympathy may still be out of reach, but Cohn’s weakened state in his final days is shockingly emotionally evocative.
All in all, this film is a well-crafted outline of a man’s ascent into villainy. While critics are still discussing the merits of this biopic, it should certainly not go unpraised for its analytic properties. The depiction is not simply of the events of Trump’s past, but also an insight into the development of one of the USA's most infamous psyches. The affinity between Cohn and Trump emphasises how vanity and selfishness are encouraged between such men. Overall, The Apprentice offers an important analysis of the conditioned sociopathy inherited by men engaged in an endless competition for ego and power.
The Apprentice was released in UK and Irish cinemas on the 18th of October 2024.
Edited by Humaira Valera, Co-Film & TV Editor
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