The Apprentice is a biographical drama that follows Donald Trump’s career as a real estate businessman in New York and in the 70’s and 80’s, as well as his relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn. The film is directed by Ali Abbasi from a script written by Gabriel Sherman. Sebastian Stan stars as Donald Trump, Jeremey Strong as Cohn, and Maria Bakalova as Trump’s first wife, Ivana.

I can’t say that I was particularly excited for this when it was first announced. Stan as Trump sounded like an odd casting choice. After seeing the film, I even debated whether or not I should talk about it. There was a lady in my theater who clearly went into this to support Trump based on the American flags she was waving around. After some thought, I decided to talk about this. Coming at this from unbiased perspective, I still think it’s important for people to watch what interests them and to still have a healthy dialogue about it.

To my surprise, I actually think Stan did a great job as Trump. After seeing his performance in A Different Man, I had more confidence in him to do a great job. It does take a while for him to actually mimic Trump. It’s clear he is a completely different person in the beginning. The film has the intentions of trying to show that his lawyer Roy Cohn made him into the person he is today. Once we see the impact his lawyer had made on him, you can start to really see that change in Stan’s performance. I wouldn’t say it’s Award worthy compared to his performance in A Different Man, but I’d like to see Jeremy Strong get some recognition for his performance as Cohn. The guy can just flip like a switch.

Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of the film is the overall look. It looks like a film I would put in my VCR in the 80’s. I wouldn’t say its groundbreaking by any means, but it certainly transports us back to the time this film takes place in. The film also brings a chaotic nature through its music choice, which helps fit the overall tone.

At 2 hours, there is no denying the film feels longer than what it really is, which can be a good and bad thing. Every moment matters, yet the film tends to jump over important information that could have helped understand the characters better. The film chooses to slow down in certain scenes to dig deep into its core themes, but it doesn’t do it for the scenes that should matter most.

Unfortunately, I didn’t quite understand why Trump becomes the person that he is in the film. Sure, it’s clear Cohn has an impact on him in the beginning of the film. Strong & Bakalova’s screentime feels restrained, hindering the impact they have on the story. Just as you see where Trump becomes more unhinged, Cohn tries to reason with him, but it’s too late. It’s not like Trump’s parents were that bad. Personally, there just wasn’t enough of a reason for Trump to change for the worst if this film is trying to be a villain origin story. Instead, it’s a villain origin story that lacks substance.

Overall, the film capitalizes more on its performances more than its story. The story jumps over a lot of vital information, hindering any importance. Instead, this film is just going to continue to divide people, which is unfortunate. I really only went into this, because I like the on-screen talent. For that, I think it was entertaining, but it’s certainly not something I would go out of my way to recommend nor watch again, and yet, I don’t regret my time with it. I enjoy films that challenge viewers. This is something different and will challenge viewers. If that’s your cup of tea, then go for it.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 (Pretty Good)