“The Apprentice” isn’t the Donald Trump story you’re expecting. Rather than a behind-the-scenes look into Trump’s 15-season reality show of the same name, the film follows the story of how attorney Roy Cohn shaped Trump into the figure we know today.
Jeremy Strong, who plays Cohn, bluntly describes this as a Frankenstein story — Cohn, essentially creates Trump, played by Sebastian Stan. Cohn teaches Trump how to manipulate, act and talk in order to achieve his desires, only for Cohn to lose control of the monster he created.
Director Ali Abbasi’s film has a great first half, which allows Cohn’s morally complex character and entertaining dynamic with Trump to shine. But just when the film has you hooked, it stumbles by sidelining the real engine of the story, Cohn, too early into the second half.
Set in 1970s New York City, the story follows young Trump, who is desperate for power, relevance and respect until he meets Cohn — a ruthless fixer who takes Trump under his wing. As Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s right-hand man in the 1950s, Cohn accused federal employees of communism and homosexuality while being a closeted gay man. Cohn’s reputation of being a lawyer against lawyers, a Jewish antisemite and a homosexual homophobe creates a rich background for Strong’s performance and a character far more intriguing than Trump.
The film’s fundamental flaw is that Dr. Frankenstein’s story will always be more compelling than a story that tries to focus on his monster, which “The Apprentice” seems to forget in its second half.
The film opens with Richard Nixon’s infamous speech declaring himself “not a crook,” followed by a montage of 1970s New York City on the brink of collapse due to an abundance of crime and corruption. It depicts Trump as awkward, arrogant and power-hungry, yet passionate and charismatic. Trump convinces Cohn to represent his family in a racial discrimination lawsuit, and through bribery and manipulation, Cohn gets Trump acquitted.
Cohn sees himself in Trump and becomes his mentor. Cohn teaches him his three rules for success: one, attack, attack, attack. Two, deny everything. And three, always claim victory and never admit defeat.
Watching Trump enter Cohn’s dark world makes for a captivating story. Cohn is shown partying with Andy Warhol, Rupert Murdoch, Roger Stone and George Steinbrenner. Trump appears to be someone who genuinely cares for New York City. He decides real estate is both a way to save his city and enhance his own social status. He is seen seducing Ivana Zelníčková, played by Maria Bakalova, who delivers a standout performance. Stan’s portrayal of Trump is nuanced, avoiding overly on-the-nose impersonations.
Despite his denial of the fact, Cohn contracts AIDS. Meanwhile, Trump rapidly expands his real estate ventures, ignores Cohn’s advice and distances himself from his mentor as his own success grows. When Cohn loses his influence over Trump, he also loses screen time, and the story shifts its attention entirely to Trump’s rise.
Stripped of the tension between Trump and Cohn, Trump’s character loses steam and Cohn’s absence is palpable. Consequently, Trump’s character arc from the first half concludes with a surprisingly underdeveloped ending. Although the film alludes to Trump’s business failures, with him struggling to make payments as he expands his empire too fast, there should have been more emphasis on them throughout the film.
As Trump becomes more successful, he starts taking amphetamine pills, rapes his wife Ivana and undergoes surprisingly graphic liposuction and scalp reduction surgeries. This on-the-nose Frankenstein transformation is cleverly spliced together with Cohn’s funeral scene. The movie ends with Trump’s first meeting with the ghostwriter for his 1987 memoir in an anticlimactic, awkward and unfortunately dull final scene.
The true highlight of this movie is Sherman’s journalistic background, which brings a level of fact-checking to the script rare in biopics today. Sherman started his career covering real estate for the New York Observer, where he often interviewed Trump. He later moved to New York Magazine to report on politics and eventually wrote the famous expose on FOX News president Roger Ailes. Researched moments — like Trump giving fake cufflinks to Cohn and a precise recreation of Cohn’s appearance on “60 Minutes,” where he denied having AIDS — set this movie apart in successfully incorporating the truth in a dramatized story.
“The Apprentice” succeeds in vividly depicting New York City and accomplishes the challenging feat of evoking a hint of sympathy for Cohn. However, the movie loses its way by betting too heavily on Trump’s ability to carry the story alone.
Abbasi’s message is clear, though: Trump is Frankenstein’s monster, created by the United States’ power-hungry political and legal system, which allows those who become successful to use their power with little restriction. Those who support Trump will say “The Apprentice” is a harsh and inaccurate depiction, while those against Trump will say it is too sympathetic.
Released just weeks before the 2024 election, “The Apprentice” invites viewers to reflect on how the nation arrived at its current state.
