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That is one of the "rules" shared by Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) towards the end of The Apprentice. Rules that he adopted from his former attorney Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), and which set the basis of how he relates to others and how he does business. This film follows Trump's early years as a real estate developer in New York and his eventual rise to the spotlight, which started under Cohn's tutelage.
I have to admit I wasn't that eager to check out this film. On one hand, I'm not that big on biopics, and on the other, I find the main figure to be a repulsive human being. However, watching Stan in A Different Man piqued my interest as far as his acting abilities in the film that actually got him an Oscar nomination. After watching it, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by it.
First of all, unlike some biopic dramas, the film maintains a fairly lively pace and manages to juggle the drama with some level of (ironic) humor, I guess. Second, Stan is actually pretty good in the lead role. With these two performances in one year, I'm really looking forward to what else he puts out. Strong is just as impressive as the slimy Cohn, a character I have to admit I didn't know much about; but reading afterwards, it seems that his performance was spot-on.
I know this might be a shaky film to write about and I might be pushing the boundaries with @Yoda of what to say, but as far as the film goes, I think it does a pretty good job of showing how the main character got from Point A to Point B. The way his character evolves seems pretty consistent with the different variables around him, from his relationship with his father to Cohn's manipulation, and gives us an interesting outlook of the actual real-life figure.
I know the enjoyment of this film will probably depend on where you stand on the main character. But regardless of your leanings, I think The Apprentice makes for a compelling watch with some great performances. Whether you agree with its portrayal or not, perhaps we can ask ourselves what is truth after all?
Grade:
THE APPRENTICE
(2024, Abbasi)
(2024, Abbasi)
"What is truth, Tony? What is truth? You know what's truth? What you say is truth, what I say is truth, what he says is truth. What is the truth in life? Deny everything, admit nothing. You know what's true? What I say is true."
That is one of the "rules" shared by Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) towards the end of The Apprentice. Rules that he adopted from his former attorney Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), and which set the basis of how he relates to others and how he does business. This film follows Trump's early years as a real estate developer in New York and his eventual rise to the spotlight, which started under Cohn's tutelage.
I have to admit I wasn't that eager to check out this film. On one hand, I'm not that big on biopics, and on the other, I find the main figure to be a repulsive human being. However, watching Stan in A Different Man piqued my interest as far as his acting abilities in the film that actually got him an Oscar nomination. After watching it, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by it.
First of all, unlike some biopic dramas, the film maintains a fairly lively pace and manages to juggle the drama with some level of (ironic) humor, I guess. Second, Stan is actually pretty good in the lead role. With these two performances in one year, I'm really looking forward to what else he puts out. Strong is just as impressive as the slimy Cohn, a character I have to admit I didn't know much about; but reading afterwards, it seems that his performance was spot-on.
I know this might be a shaky film to write about and I might be pushing the boundaries with @Yoda of what to say, but as far as the film goes, I think it does a pretty good job of showing how the main character got from Point A to Point B. The way his character evolves seems pretty consistent with the different variables around him, from his relationship with his father to Cohn's manipulation, and gives us an interesting outlook of the actual real-life figure.
I know the enjoyment of this film will probably depend on where you stand on the main character. But regardless of your leanings, I think The Apprentice makes for a compelling watch with some great performances. Whether you agree with its portrayal or not, perhaps we can ask ourselves what is truth after all?
Grade: