The Apprentice review: Jeremy Strong delivers stand out performance in Abbasi's film on Donald Trump
Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice
Former United States president andpresidential candidate Donald Trump went on a rant recently on filmmaker Ali Abbasi's latest film The Apprentice, which narrates the Republican's initial years as a real estate giant in New York and his relationship with attorney Roy Cohn. Perhaps, Trump's reaction stems from information that is fed to him because had he watched the film, he may have only objected to certain aspects of Abbasi's provocative film and not ranted about it in its entirety.
The Apprentice shows Trump (played stupendously well by Sebastian Stan) in his usual megalomaniac, ruthless avatar – an image that Trump has over the years created – painstakingly, if I may add so – but also humanises him to a certain extent. Written by Gabriel Sherman, the film mostly focuses on Trump in his initial years, trying desperately to break into the elite circle of New York and become famous and grow his father's business.
It is at a members-only elite club that young Trump meets the bullish Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a star attorney who takes a liking for the blonde young man. It takes Donalda bit of persuasion to convince him to represent his father in a case that the federal government has slapped against Trump Village which has discriminated against African-American tenants. Roy eventually agrees as he feels Trump is a '24-carat American patriot'. Not only does Cohnwin the case, but he takes Trump under his wings and moulds him as a ruthless businessman who can go to any length, and use all sorts of nefarious tactics to bend state laws to build his real estate empire.
Cohn teaches Trump life's three rules – Admit nothing, deny everything and claim victory, no matter what the outcome of a skirmish is. Cohn also uses the strategy of attack, attack and attack and uses manipulative ways to coax mayors, and other government officials to give Donald leeway as he builds the Hyatt hotel and then the Trump towers.
In the first half of the film, Trump is seen more as a follower of the dynamic Cohn. He shadows him in everything except, perhaps Roy's way of colourful life or drugs and sex. It is also around this period that Donald meets model and aspiring interior designer Ivana (played by Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova) whom he falls in love with and marries much to Roy's discomfort.
If the first half is dedicated to Roy-Donald's relationship, the second half shifts focus solely on Trump who grows out of his mentor's shadow, adapting his distinct personality, giddy with success and power. In the first half, Trump is almost unrecognisable and we only see a man trying desperately to break into the power corridors of America and make a mark for himself, shadowing the influential and powerful Cohn. The second half of the transformation seems a bit sudden but it is Trump that the world knows more of. A calculative, cold-hearted, megalomaniac who is only interested in his own benefits and looks out for himself.
Sherman's writing adds layers to Donald and Roy's personalities. Trump is shown initially as an insecure man who later builds his version of truth which cannot be changed under any circumstance. Roy, a closeted gay man, makes extra efforts to show his alpha male energy to the world, cussing, and making fun of the marginalised just to be accepted by one and all in the corridors of power.
Sherman's writing and Abbasi's deft direction is brilliantly supported by great performances by Stan and Strong. Stan gets Trump's mannerisms, the slight lisp, the facial twitches to the T. Initially as a young businessman, you can't seem to identify with Stan's Trump but in the second half, you see the uncanny similarities.
The film, however, belongs to Strong. You can't take your eyes off the actor who makes Roy such an intriguing character. With a constant deadpan expression and some witty lines, Strong's Roy Cohn is a performance that will be remembered for a long long time. Near the end of the film, as Donald and Roy's relationship strains, a scene has strong feebly standing in front of a lit-up cake and breaking down. The scene is the most heart-wrenching scene of the film, where you know that the man you are sympathising for is not the right man yet you see yourself rooting for him.
The Apprenticevery subtly takes a dig at Trump but also humanises him. With several dialogues that make you relate to his current persona, TheApprenticetakesa deep look at the man who might just serve his second term at the office in the US soon.
It is also a film that only the West can dare to make. At a time when the possible future President Of the United States Of America is dissing the film publicly, some festivals and theatres are brave enough to showcase the film for what it is. Something that India can never imagine.
