Is it fair?
This was the question that our audience was left with after our early screening of The Apprentice. With director Ali Abbasi in attendance for a Q&A, the first question came from Abbasi himself. “I would like to hear from the audience. Is The Apprentice fair to Donald Trump?”
That’s a loaded question for any myriads of reasons. And the response was telling. Some found the film was too hard on the man-who-would-be-president. Others, not hard enough on him. After all, it can be hard to separate your feelings for the real Trump from your response to the film. For a man who has become so polarizing (and divisive) to the general public, there’s a general sense that any film about him that doesn’t portray him as a monster from the outset may be somehow doing an injustice to those he’s hurt.
But I would argue that that’s also the point of Abbasi’s film.
Directed by Abbasi, The Apprentice tells the story of a young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) in the 1970s as he eagerly looks for any opportunity to establish himself. The second son of a wealthy family, Trump aligns himself with Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a powerful lawyer with a snake-like tongue. Under Cohn’s tutelage, Trump begins to learn the ways of power in New York’s cutthroat business industry. With raw ambition as his guide, Trump learns what it takes to win—and he’ll do anything to make sure that he does.
Admittedly, Abbasi’s film offers a compelling portrait of Trump by splitting his narrative into two distinct halves. In the beginning, we meet the young man who is determined to make his mark (and impress his parents). His relationship with Ivanka is charming. His demeanour is (almost) affable. In these moments, there’s even a certain empathy for his family situation. But Abbasi also shows the influence of Cohn’s poison. Without saying too much, the film’s finale serves as a brutal bookend to the wealthy dupe that we meet in the first act. By the time that Abbasi jumps forward in time, we see how that poison has infected his soul. Here, the film leans into the brutality and cruelty that can drive a person, once winning becomes the only goal. Abbasi begins with a man but eventually makes a monster.
Much of the film’s success lies with some incredible work by Stan who positively immerses himself into the role. As one of the most prominent faces on television over the last few decades, Trump’s mannerisms and voice are entirely recognizable. But Stan isn’t ‘doing a Trump impression’. Rather than create a parody, Stan fully embraces the role (especially in Trump’s later years). As someone who remembers watching him on television in the 1980s, it’s remarkable to see Stan step into character. Every tonal inflection and body movement feels authentic. (It’s also worth noting that Strong’s performance as Roy Cohn is incredibly well done as well.)
But, is it fair?
Perhaps it’s the word ‘fair’ that’s the loaded one here. For something to be ‘fair’ suggests that it needs to portray the subject in a light that’s positive to balance out their negative qualities. In that sense, I don’t think The Apprentice hits the mark. Here, Trump is portrayed as more of a fool at the outset than given many particularly admirable qualities. Although he’s not the devil, he’s no shining hero either. He’s simply human.
And, maybe, that’s the hardest truth for people to accept.
For all of his failings, Trump is shown in The Apprentice to be a human being. In his youth, he falls in love and desperately seeks to please his disapproving parents. He sees his opportunity to prove his worth by attaching himself to Cohn and begins the process of learning how to stand on his own (sort of). Remove the emotional attachment to the man himself in the real world and any of these qualities are normal. Even relatable. But, at the same time, The Apprentice also shows how quickly money, power and emotional failings can lead to toxicity. While it’s not quite a ‘fall from grace’, the film certainly shows the devastating effects of his inevitable descent into darkness.
In this way, I would suggest that the most devastating truth within the film is the notion that, despite his immense wealth and privilege, there isn’t a lot that separates his story from many others. It’s more palatable to believe that Donald Trump is some sort of entity that we can’t understand. But The Apprentice shows that everyone has the potential to become the worst parts of humanity.
By the film’s end, any particular empathy for Trump has disappeared. We watch as he lays waste to the world around him with confidence and precision. Is that fair? Maybe. Maybe not. But certainly, the idea that the monster is only a man remains most terrifying of all.
The Apprentice is available in theatres on Friday, October 11th, 2024
