Film: The Apprentice [2024] – Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong

Regardless of what you think of Trump, The Apprentice is a movie worth watching. This is an origin story that doesn’t shy away from the darker sides of its subject’s personality.

Starring Sebastian Stan & Jeremy Strong, you instantly get the vibe that this is not a movie for the masses. Both Stan and Strong are superlative in this movie. You can easily see why Stan was nominated for an Oscar. He is one of the best actors we have right now. from a senator in Thunderbolts* to Trump.

The movie starts with Trump (Stan) meeting Roy Cohn (Strong) and ends with Cohn’s death. Strong delivers a sensational performance as the infamous lawyer, fixer and political hit man. The movie highlights the rise of Donald Trump in New York City in the 1970s and 80s until he turns against his teacher, Cohn, right before his death. In fact, around the halfway point, The Apprentice takes a jarring turn and transitions from a darkly comedic character study into a deeply unsettling horror film.

Even if we take most of the movie with a grain of salt, we have Cohn to “thank” for creating the current version of Donald Trump. Like him or not, he is a force to be reckoned with. The Apprentice won’t appeal to all and it doesn’t necessarily tell us anything we didn’t already know about Trump. However, its artistic value is undeniable even when its subject is controversial.

In summary, this is a smart, tragic take on just how dark the American Dream can be.

Should you watch it?

We can never know what has truly happened. However, despite the fictionalized layer that exaggerates some scenes, this biopic about Donald Trump never fails to be entertaining when it delivers its plot about ambition, business, and the corrupting power of the American dream. 

Where can I watch it?

You can stream The Apprentice on Crave in Canada.