The Apprentice: The most controversial movie of the year or an amazing marketing move?

"Where did that millionaire real estate agent who only said five words come from in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York?" When I was just a child, this is what I asked myself after watching the movie. I was never much interested in the life of this controversial real estate agent who became a politician. Nonetheless, during election year, the interesting Ali Abbasi managed to bring to life one of the most powerful cinematographic portrayals that criticizes the concept of perfectionism in the United States. This film tries to demystify the pleasant image sold of MAGA's—Make America Great Again—famous creator.

In addition, it's interesting that, solely this year, we've had three movies directed by NON-American directors addressing the several horrors hidden—and also evident—in America from different angles. Firstly, British director Alex Garland released his postmodern raw version of Apocalypse Now titled Civil War. Secondly, a couple months later, French director and scriptwriter, Coralie Fargeat exhibited the extreme toxicity of female insecurity with a body horror film titled The Substance. Now, Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi presents a controversial dark biopic of the man that, even though many described as a small event, it proved to be a fierce force nowadays—whether good or bad.

How does one shape such a renowned, controversial and powerful figure as Donald Trump? The Apprentice is Abbasi's fourth title in his more than interesting filmography and also his apparently glorious—if we can call it that—debut in the Hollywood universe. The film stands out thanks to several aspects that, all together, make up a movie precisely calculated that never diverts from its initial point. From the very first seconds, it masterfully presents the context just like Taxi Driver. We witness an intro in which neon lights illuminate all kinds of people living in New York. That's when, in the middle of all the chaos, a young man with a suit and hair resembling a Hollywood wig appears. He walks without haste but with a determined posture and ambitious gaze. His destination? Le Club, a gathering center for the richest and most famous people in town. Trump—who wanted to break free from his father for a while to pave his way among the most important people in the real estate and political market—is immediately seduced by the penetrating eyes of someone who sees him with certain enthusiasm and interest.

The figure, the acquired power and the reputation felt in Trump's eyes after the final credits are shaped by the early introduction of the second most important character in the movie: the lawyer and political fixer, Roy Cohn. Played by the underestimated Jeremy Strong (Succession, The Big Short), Cohn is an evidently disturbed person due to the shady businesses he carries out daily in his "office" full of young aspirants, but he's also warm and kind. He's the one who sees in Trump the opportunity to innovate in the real estate market and a face that represents hope for a better future. Apparently, regarding audiovisual terms, all that glitters is gold. Nonetheless, my main intention isn't to praise the movie for its undeniable positive aspects—since it's a simply spectacular film production—but to try to analyze what's the goal of releasing this movie particularly at this point in American history.

How real and how fake is Donald Trump's biopic? It can't be determined for sure since nature's truth in the political picture is usually diffused and tends to be either black or white: everyone is the worst or best kind of human being. If we analyze the facts, according to Abbasi's perspective—and his own reinterpretation of the material he used to bring the movie to life—from the very beginning, Donald Trumps was a misogynist, manipulating, greedy, narcissist and a compulsive liar, who took advantage of people and who only wanted to stand out as a renowned figure among the most powerful youth of the country. So, why does he have such a huge following and support in his current presidential candidacy? What does this say about American culture and values?

In my opinion, absolutely nothing. I don't know Donald Trump nor who he was before. I don't know who he is beyond what I see on TV and social media—which I completely distrust—and I didn't know anything about his past until I watched this movie. Do I have to believe Abassi's truth or draw my own conclusions investigating here and there? In two weeks, the United States will define its next president and Ali Abbasi's film merely deepens the eternal crack between left and right globally. Will consensus ever exist? Are we condemned to live this way for the rest of our lives as a species?

For those who don't watch cinema solely to analyze it from a political point of view—like I do—this movie will be a complete and masterfully orchestrated work. Beyond all the amazing performances, Sebastian Stan steals the show embodying the very devil in person, a despicable being who isn't afraid of letting those who helped him from the beginning die. In my opinion, even though it looks like Oscar bait, it doesn't feel like one at all.

With its disturbing sense of humor, and with an aesthetic masterfully adapted for the different times recreated and Abassi's direction, this movie brings to life a certain unusual anachronistic—in the best sense of the word—experience that revives the spirit of the less commercial and more direct type of cinema in a certain way, which is the one that wants to get under people's skin. I still don't surely know who Trump is but, thanks to The Apprentice, I now can say that I want to know more about him.

BY JERÓNIMO CASCO

Posted on OCTOBER 31, 2024, 01:53 AM | UTC-GMT -3

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