THE ATTORNEY, THE APPRENTICE AND THE US ELECTION
REVIEWING ALI ABBASI’S CINEMATIC SKETCH OF DONALD TRUMP (KAMALA HARRIS’S NOVEMBER NEMESIS)
DAN SUCIU (GUEST AUTHOR @ DIL)
THE KILLER PRESIDENT
Who is fit to be president of the United States?
A narcissistic billionaire with a complete disregard for others? A convicted felon? A man who incited a mob to storm the US Capitol? A man who completely mismanaged the COVID-19 pandemic, with up to 40% of American deaths being preventable, as per the Lancet Commission?
Tackling a figure as controversial as Donald Trump would be no small feat for any director, regardless of the period. Releasing an intentionally critical biopic so close to the US election (happening now) is even more daring. However, perhaps the biggest credit that can be given to Ali Abbasi’s ‘The Apprentice’ is that, although it’s undoubtedly relevant viewing for the election, it’s also unapologetically dedicated to the ‘making’ of Donald Trump. America’s cinematic obsession with dishonest, power-hungry ‘killers’, whether it be Tony Montana, Patrick Bateman, or Jordan Belfort, transcends the present day, and certainly reflects the appeal of the ex-president. The extent to which Abbasi converts this concept into an enjoyable experience is inconsistent at times. The film does lack some narrative cohesion; some scenes feel extremely piecemeal. The lack of an archetypal ‘fall from grace’ also makes the ending feel abrupt. Nevertheless, this has, of course, not fully occurred in the present day - so, does it serve as something of a stark reminder of this fact?
WINNERS AND LOSERS
‘The Apprentice’’s approach to character study is unique. The film takes care in analysing more contextual influences, rather than solely indulging in its protagonist. Rather than being immediately met with a symbol of Trump’s grandiose depravity or monstrous ego, the film instead opens with archival footage of a deflective Richard Nixon, delivering his infamous “I am not a crook” speech. Watergate, a scandal so colossal that it created a standardised suffix for scandals. Yet in the 50 years since, the American political climate has shifted so much that even with Trump’s total eclipsing of Nixon’s rap sheet, he continues to close the gap, with less than 2% separating him and Kamala Harris in the polls (538, ABC News). However, Abbasi doesn’t seek to tackle this populist rise through an electoral lens. After all, Trump makes zero appearances as a president or political candidate throughout the film. It’s ironic that he brands politicians as losers, and claims that he would only run for president out of desperation. Instead, the biopic seeks to deconstruct Trump’s status as a Carlylean ‘Great Man’, a notion that he and the MAGA movement are obsessed with (adamant that he is from a group of natural-born ‘winners’ who can determine the fate of America).
Of course, this idea is at odds with the self-made image that Trump loves to claim; the view that he’s inherently superior but also a product of egalitarian meritocracy is a contradiction that Abbasi rightfully seeks to poke fun at and critique. It’s well known that Donald inherited vast wealth from his father Fred (a ‘small loan’ of a million dollars comes to mind) and the film does not shy away from such benefaction. The Trumps conveniently ignore the economic consequences of the 1970s depression of New York City, which are interspersed throughout the runtime. Instead, the first major obstacle for our protagonist is defending his father’s real estate business against accusations of housing segregation, all whilst the family happily deny their deeply entrenched racism. There’s never any tension or urgency with the Trumps, which perhaps hurts the excitement of the viewing experience. However, it goes a long way to illustrate how much power Donald has, even before he develops his ‘killer’ instinct.
THE ROY COHN SHOW
It’s uncommon knowledge that Trump inherited his philosophy from, Roy Cohn, an attorney who represented him between 1973 and 1985. Cohn was also notorious for his prior involvement in McCarthyism. Aided by a dominant performance by Jeremy Strong, Cohn unquestionably commands authority in the attorney-apprentice duo for the first two acts of the film. It’s also a credit to Sebastian Stan’s take on Donald Trump that he’s able to capture the slightly more nuanced aspect of this dynamic. He’s effectively tasked with playing two different characters. The first? A meek and lost ‘kid’ (I use this term lightly because he was 27 when he first met Cohn) who is devoid of any personality. He’s defined by being ‘Fred Trump’s son’ and not ‘wasting his life away’ like his brother Fred Jr., who dared to become an aeroplane pilot. We could almost feel sorry for a pathetic representation of a ‘self-made’ male, if it were not for the despicable Cohn, who he absorbs like a sponge. His network, desire to win, and even his mannerisms, are all directly inherited. More importantly, three principles outline his entire philosophy:
Attack, attack, attack!
Admit nothing and deny everything
Claim victory and never admit defeat… no matter what happens
As Trump starts to mimic Cohn more and more, we observe him apply these principles in action, which range from his love of bending the truth, to his fiery attacks against Mayor Ed Koch, after being denied tax breaks. These founding principles are also thoroughly reflected in his current approach to campaigning. For example, in his Michigan rally in September, he fully rejected even the possibility of a legitimate defeat in November. “Because they cheat. That’s the only way we’re gonna lose. Because they cheat.”
This shift towards the brash Trump that we know is where Sebastian Stan’s talents are fully realised. Moreover, Abbasi is able to convey that, whilst he seems to have convinced everyone including himself that he’s impenetrable, his assumed persona is built on façades. Grotesque scalp reductions, germaphobia, and the abuse of his wife Ivana, all lurk behind the cameras in his personal life, and serve to highlight his insecurities, alongside his total lack of self-control. Additionally, much in keeping with Abbasi’s core message, nothing Trump does at the pinnacle of his success feels truly earned. Even the demise of Roy Cohn is brought to a whimper, as we are denied a grand takedown, where the ‘apprentice’ becomes the ‘master’. Instead, the tycoon interacts with a shell of his former mentor, taking advantage of him on his birthday, as he slowly dies from AIDS in a wheelchair. I never thought Trump’s ruthless narcissism could make me feel even an ounce of sympathy for someone as nefarious as Cohn. Yet, here we are!
DIVINE TIMING?
At its core, Ali Abbasi’s 'The Apprentice’ dissects Donald Trump at a time when it’s needed the most. That’s an achievement that cannot be understated. At the height of the ‘post-truth’ age of social media, one could argue that the biopic could completely alter someone’s view on the ex-president, especially if they hold opinions that are reflective of political disengagement. Yes, journalistic criticism can be beneficial. However, witnessing the deconstruction of a decade-strong persona onscreen might resonate more amongst the apathetic, even if the experience is not always the most comfortable.
