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The Apprentice: interesting portrayal of a young Donald Trump

12:49, 21 October 2024

updated: 12:08, 22 October 2024

Film review: The Apprentice (15) - seen at The Light Cinema, Wisbech

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong and Maria Bakalova

Director: Ali Abbasi Run time: Two hours, two minutes

Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan star in The Apprentice
Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan star in The Apprentice

Although not a fan of Donald Trump, I originally didn’t think it was fair to release a film that doesn’t exactly portray him as a saint so close to voting in the US election.

Now I’ve seen the film, I honestly don’t think there’s anything here for him to worry about as he goes to the polls against Democrat candidate Kamala Harris.

Those Trump supporters - and there are millions - already know of his long list of misdemeanours and they either don’t believe them or don’t think those blots on his copybook should stop him from running the country again.

The Apprentice is nothing to do with the TV show he hosted from 2004 to 2015 but the story of how a young Donald Trump started his real-estate business in 1970s and 80s New York with the helping hand of infamous lawyer Roy Cohn.

The young Trump is portrayed as a very different man from the one we all think we know today. He is shy, awkward and obsessed with those who hold wealth and fame. He has morals and a sense of right and wrong that many may say has since deserted him.

Working for his father’s real estate business, he is nothing but a glorified debut collector as he knocks on the doors of apartments at his father’s Trump Village development, collecting overdue rent.

But a chance meeting with Cohn changes all that as the ruthless lawyer teaches Trump the three rules that will go on to shape his life: Number one: attack, attack, attack. Number two: admit nothing and deny everything. Number three: no matter what happens, you claim victory and never admit defeat.

The film is clever because it makes no reference to what the young businessman will become but lets the viewer see his rise, with full knowledge of how he used Cohn’s rules to become one of the most influential men in the world.

Sebastian Stan is superb as Trump, mimicking many of his most famous mannerisms, while Strong is also impressive as the hard-hitting, merciless Cohn. Maria Bakalova impressively portrays Ivana Trump’s descent from cool, sexy model to downtrodden, unhappy wife.

The film is an interesting take on a period of Trump’s life that many know little about and is well worth a watch.

Rating: 7/10

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