The 77th Annual Cannes Film Festival this past May saw the release of over a dozen new, exciting films. Audiences in the thousands packed theaters to watch Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness, George Miller's Furiosa, Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, and countless others. But no other film was able to capture the attention of audiences quite like Ali Abbasi's The Apprentice, a gritty, star-studded biopic about one of the world's most controversial figures: former President Donald Trump.
The Apprentice is a film that centers around the early career of Donald Trump and how he was able to rise through the ranks of high society in New York City. It stars Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump, Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, and Jeremy Strong as Trump's mentor: prosecutor Roy Cohn. It's a film that was destined to be controversial before it even hit screens due to its subject matter. A movie about one of the most divisive American politicians of all time with a cast of A-list celebrities, an Iranian director, and produced by Canada, Denmark, and Ireland is sure to ruffle a few feathers. Although The Apprentice didn't end up scoring any awards at Cannes this year, it captured the attention of the whole festival, and shortly after...the world.
The Apprentice premiered on May 20th, I did not have tickets to the premiere but I knew several people who camped out in the rush line for up to eight hours in the hopes of gaining last-minute entry. At the same time as The Apprentice premiered, I had tickets to watch Studio Ghibli receive their honorary Palm d'Or, the highest honor bestowed by the festival. I figured that The Apprentice would be in theaters in the US soon and the award ceremony was a special event that would never happen again, so I chose the ceremony tickets over the premiere. The following day, I was hearing rave reviews left and right from those who had seen the movie the previous night, and it made me more excited to see it when it eventually came to theaters. But shortly after the premiere, news began circulating that Donald Trump had heard about the film and became so enraged that he began threatening legal action against Ali Abbasi via a Cease and Desist, and is currently trying to make sure the film never sees a US release. Naturally, The Apprentice became the most talked-about film in Cannes. I knew then and there that I had to catch the next screening because it might be my only chance to ever see the film. On the very last day of the festival, I miraculously scored a ticket.
Going in, my expectations were set high for The Apprentice. When I'd first heard of the film I thought it sounded like a surefire failure. Sebastian Stan playing Donald Trump? How could that possibly work? But in the days since it came out I had heard nothing but glowing remarks from everyone who had seen it. So I didn't know what to expect, but I was expecting something good.
The Apprentice has a very distinctive 70's feel to it. Everything from the costumes to the sets to the way the characters interact with each other all create a vivid vintage atmosphere. It's clear that a great deal of thought and effort was put into the film's mise-en-scène. There's something eerie about watching a young Trump portrayed on screen. Most of the iterations of Trump you see are comedic ones, whether that's from SNL or stand-up comedy. To see someone like Sebastian Stan portray Trump in a sincere way definitely takes some getting used to. For the first half of the film, Donald Trump's personality is unrecognizable to the one we've grown used to. In the beginning he is an innocent, ambitious young man who wants nothing more than to make a name for himself in New York City. We see him get taken under the wing of notorious shady lawyer, Roy Cohn, bear witness to his brother's alcoholism, and win over the heart of his first wife, Ivana. It's honestly hard not to root for the character you see on screen, I found myself having to be reminded several times who this film was about.
The Apprentice also points out certain things about Trump that you might have never noticed. Namely, his fear of dogs, his germaphobic tendencies, and his complete abstinence from alcohol. It's a deeply personal film despite the man himself having no formal involvement with production.
While he is definitely portrayed as a bit of a sketchy social-climber, there was nothing in the film so far that I thought would get under Trump's skin. Then the third act happened, and it was made abundantly clear why Donald Trump does not want people seeing this film.
The Apprentice has a rape scene. It is brief and unexpected, but it speaks volumes. In the midst of an argument about their marriage, Donald Trump rapes his wife, Ivana, and suddenly, we are reminded that the self-made charismatic man we've been following for the past two hours is still Donald Trump. This assault claim is corroborated by Harry Hurt III's 1993 book Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald Trump, where Hurt states that Ivana has always remained adamant that she was violently taken advantage of by her then-husband. Ivana repeated these allegations in court. during the couple's 1990 divorce proceedings. Considering Donald Trump's lengthy rap sheet of abuse allegations, I do not think it is outside the realm of possibility that this notorious scene might be based on truth. After watching that scene, it's hard to remember any of the reasons why you found Trump remotely endearing earlier in the film. It definitely casted a pall over the theater, any good will Ali Abbasi had attempted to give Trump up until that point was gone. The shock in the room was palpable.
The Apprentice has so many aspects that makes it an incredible film. It has a strong atmosphere, a fantastic script, and some of the best performances I've seen in years. I did not initially have faith in Sebastian Stan's portrayal of Donald Trump, but by the last scene,
he had completely transformed into the abhorrent controversial figure that the US has had to suffer through this past decade. From the way he moves his hands to the cadence of his voice and his tendency to repeat/emphasize certain words, it's uncanny and downright scary. However, what might be somehow more impressive is Jeremy Strong's performance as Roy Cohn. Prior to watching The Apprentice, I had never heard of Cohn, but he expertly paints this character of a crooked, ruthless, power-hungry lawyer, willing to trample anyone who gets in his way. Every aspect of his character is thought though, especially his mannerisms and the way he always has the same eerie, dead expression no matter the scene. Stan and Strong truly proved themselves as masters of their craft in this film.
As an intern at the Cannes Film Festival this year, representing the United States, I felt extremely embarrassed while watching The Apprentice. I have been traveling to and from Europe to see family my entire life, and I remember a time where stating that you were American wasn't something to be ashamed of. That all changed of course in the last few years when America's political situation turned it into the laughing stock of the Western Hemisphere. As much as it pains me to say it, I felt self-conscious in France as an American, worried that everyone would assume I was just as ignorant as the politicians the rest of the world has been exposed to. Upon telling a European festival-goer I was American I was asked point-blank by "Why do you hate abortion so much?" When I have always been staunchly in favor of reproductive rights. Figures like Donald Trump are tainting the United States, and not just within our own borders, but also destroying its reputation over seas. The Apprentice served as a bitter reminder of why I couldn't help but feel less taken seriously as an intern in Cannes.
So will we be seeing The Apprentice in theaters any time soon? As of now, an official theatrical release date has not been set, and with all of its current legal issues, it likely won't be for a long while. But when it eventually comes to a screen near you, I implore you to see The Apprentice as it presents an excellent opportunity to reflect on not only our country as a whole, but the characteristics our society values and whether or not that's for the best. And for the love of god, vote this November!
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