We were expecting a lot from this biopic of Donald Trump's early years, an acerbic, no-holds-barred critique of the life of this young New York entrepreneur, years before he became the showman and president of the world's greatest power. We believed it, and in the end...
The Apprentice will be released in cinemas from October 9, 2024.
Synopsis: A veritable dive into the inner workings of the American empire, The Apprentice traces young Donald Trump's rise to power thanks to a Faustian pact with conservative lawyer and political matchmaker Roy Cohn.
Ali Abbasi'sThe Apprentice, presented in official competition at the Cannes 2024 Film Festival, may paint a less than glowing portrait of the man with the golden hair and sun-kissed skin, but it's a far cry from the pillorying of this private and public figure that we were hoping for, in this year of American presidential elections, and even as the first criminal trial of the former US president is taking place in New York.
Nevertheless, Sebastian Stan 's restrained performance is to be commended, and his perfectly mimicked verbal tics ('it's great', 'you're a loser') and physical tics (the famous hen's ass mouth) could well earn him the festival's Best Actor award. The documentary st aging and 80's grain of the image immerse us in this varnished era.
Ali Abbasi 's idea was not to caricature in the manner of Saturday Night Live, where Trump is regularly ridiculed, particularly by Alec Baldwin, but to understand the origin of this excessive personality. And to a lesser extent, it does this rather well. We discover, for example, young Donald being sucked dry at the dinner table by his father, who makes no secret of his disappointment with his sons' career choices; or being forced to collect social housing rents forhis father's real estate empire.
The film begins in 1973. At the time, Trump Sr. was being sued by the Justice Department for discriminating against black people in his public housing. Donald Trump was 27 years old and had dreams of grandeur, in a New York that was not yet the one we know today. He planned to rehabilitate the Commodore, the future Trump Tower, which would be inaugurated a few years later to great fanfare and in the presence of the biggest stars of the day.
As a novice, he meets a man who will change his life,lawyer Roy Cohn, and the film sets out to unravel this relationship of power, first on one side, then on the other. The man, her mentor, will teach her the tricks of the trade, and Jeremy Strong's performance manages to catch a glimmer of humanity in the eyes of this diabolical man - the final scene on his birthday is particularly harsh. In reality, Ali Abbasi shoots his biopic like a mob movie, where the values of loyalty, power and betrayal are paramount, and where scheming and the like go hand in hand.
Portrayed as he is - narcissistic, aggressive towards women, especially his first wife Ivana - Donald Trump' s portrait is full of contrast, but too hesitant, and would have benefited from a more frontal attack on his subject.
October 2024 cinema releases: Films and times near you
Discover all the films in theaters in October 2024 with showtimes near you. Don't miss a single movie! [Read more]
Drama is a popular genre with movie lovers, and there are plenty of films representing it in cinemas. If you're not sure what to choose for your movie night, we have several titles to recommend. Follow the guide! [Read more]
Not sure which film to see today? Well, we've got plenty of films to show near you. [Read more]
L'organisateur offre 5x2 places pour découvrir le film The Apprentice dans le cinéma de votre choix en France métropolitaine lors de sa sortie en salles.
October 2024 cinema releases: Films and times near you
Cinema: dramas and thrillers currently showing in cinemas and coming soon
Cinema: which film to see today, this Sunday November 17, 2024?
