Work began on Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice back in 2018, when Donald Trump was president, but it’s just now hitting the 2024 movie calendar, mere weeks before Trump will find out if it will be him or Kamala Harris moving into the White House come January. The movie stars Sebastian Stan as Trump in the 1970s and ‘80s, examining his career as a businessman and his relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn, who is portrayed by Jeremy Strong. The movie is not political, the actors say, but is it good? The critics are here to share their thoughts.
Political or not, The Apprentice is already ruffling feathers. Donald Trump himself threatened legal action over its release, and one big investor is reportedly furious over how the ex-president is portrayed in the film’s final cut. Critical response, meanwhile, has been mostly positive, with Katie Walsh of the L.A. Times calling this Sebastian Stan’s best performance to date, while Jeremy Strong delivers a Roy Cohn that’s akin to Dr. Frankenstein realizing he’s created a monster. Walsh continues:
Many critics, in fact, see parallels between the relationship in The Apprentice and Frankenstien, including Maureen Lee Lenker of EW, who gives it a B+. The movie doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know about these men, but it’s still “riveting” to watch. Sebastian Stan brings a nuance to his performance that avoids dipping into late-night parody territory, while Jeremy Strong inspires a strong F-bomb from the critic, who writes:
Stephanie Zacharek of Time echoes that sentiment, saying Jeremy Strong’s ability to make Roy Cohn believably sympathetic is “the most chilling effect” of the movie. Ali Abbasi’s detached approach makes it almost too real, the critic says, writing:
Owen Gleiberman of Variety calls The Apprentice sharp and scathing, saying it fully nails the first half and avoids cheap shots in its look at Donald Trump’s early business days. However, the movie never fully penetrates the mystery of who he becomes. Sebastian Stan is a “wonder,” according to Gleiberman, who says:
Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com has the same issue, and while the critic admits watching the seeds of the Donald Trump we know being planted and fertilized makes for an interesting watch, the second half devolves to pot shots and parody. Tallerico rates it 2 out of 4 stars and writes:
The film has drawn praise from the majority of critics, earning a Certified Fresh 79% on Rotten Tomatoes — and it sounds like that’s in large part thanks to the work from Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. The Apprentice is in theaters now if this biographical drama sounds like something you want to check out.