Sometimes reality is so extreme that fiction struggles to keep up. That is the exact challenge Iranian-Danish director Ali Abbasi tackled in making ‘The Apprentice’. It is a 2024 biopic exploring Donald Trump’s early years.
From Trump’s very first steps away from his father’s business empire to the dizzying heights of 1980s New York, the film shows the evolution of a young, ambitious man into a ruthless tycoon.
The backdrop is glitzy, but chaotic. In 1970s’ New York, the story begins with Trump as an extremely impulsive, insecure young man. He is hungry for recognition. He is desperate to make his mark. And, he always chases delinquent tenants and navigates the high-stakes world of real estate.
As the decades pass, audiences witness his transformation. The impetuous dreamer becomes calculating, manipulative, and relentless, culminating in the opening of Trump Tower. With that, he has arrived on the global stage.
An ambitious international co-production, the makers of ‘The Apprentice’ movie first announced it in May 2018. But the project stalled for years until Abbasi joined forces with actors Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong in 2023.
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At the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2024, the film went on to earn an eight-minute standing ovation and a flurry of media attention. Despite this success, the movie struggled to secure American distribution. It even faced legal challenges from Trump’s team. No, we are not surprised.
What sets the film apart is its unflinching portrayal of Trump. It avoids moralizing while showing the darker sides of his early career. He swings from extortion to blackmail to betrayals, even within his own family. And the film paints a stark portrait of the same man who uses anyone to get what he wants in life.
Even intimate details are included. For example, they do not shy away from showing his use of amphetamines, cosmetic procedures such as hair transplants and liposuction, and other personal moments that reveal the pressures behind his public persona.
Some scenes are particularly shocking. One such sequence depicts an incident from Trump’s divorce proceedings. This might appear grotesque to some viewers. But these moments are based on verified reports. They draw references from biographies, and news accounts. Yes, reality can sometimes be more disturbing than fiction.