The Apprentice is based on a young Donald Trump and his relationship with his lawyer, Roy Cohn. The film seems to be made in the 1970s and 80s, which is also the period shown in the film. Certain films have tried doing this but Ali Abbasi succeeds on this front and how. The treatment and the madness shown in the film also remind one of The Wolf Of Wall Street. The film moves at a great pace and several scenes stand out. However, a few scenes are too quick and the makers don’t show certain aspects of Trump’s life which would have added to the principal plot. The absence of subtitles is also a problem. Sebastian Stan, however, rocks the show as Donald Trump. Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn is also too good. There are times viewers would miss him when he’s not on screen. Both deserve to be nominated for the Oscars. Maria Bakalova (Ivana) leaves a huge mark. Charlie Carrick (Fred Trump Jr; Donald’s brother) and Martin Donovan (Trump’s father) do well. Catherine McNally (Mary Anne Trump) is okay and she overacts in a crucial scene. All in all, The Apprentice is a must-watch film and comes at an apt time when the USA elections are just around the corner.
My rating – **** out of 5!