The Apprentice
If I could just skip ahead four years to avoid any further Trump news, I would, so naturally I was dreading watching The Apprentice. But us cinema junkies take it on the chin for the love of the game, and The Apprentice is as horrifying as I imagined. But like watching a car wreck, Trump’s transformation… you just can’t look away. This movie is limited in enjoyment, but as a vehicle to showcase the talents of Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, boy, does it shine. Sebastian Stan’s subtle but pinpoint descent into Trump’s neuroses is brilliant. And Jeremy Strong, who we all fell in love with in Succession, brings a completely different energy to The Apprentice, a masterful, affecting depiction of Roy Cohn. There’s a couple shots from this that we’ll stick with me for a long time, and that’s the height of cinema.
-Z
Now it’s no secret that I’m not a fan of Donald Trump, but for some reason I’ve been interested in seeing this since I first heard about it in the fall. While we didn’t make it to the theater, I’m glad it's Oscar noms gave us a reason to dive in at home. Sebastian Stan and Jerwmey Strong are fabulous here. While Trump’s transformation from apprentice-e to apprentice-r is expected, it happens here through a series of subtle shifts that kept me all in on a storyline that felt quite realistic.
-E
“Rule three: no matter what happens, you claim victory and never admit defeat.” -Roy
I don’t know how much Z will dive into his reluctance to watch this film, but I was in the same spot. I am exhausted from hearing about Trump, whether it be good or bad, so a full length film on him seemed like a lot. First off, Sebastian Stan is the man right now. He has been lights out in everything and is definitely in the must watch column for me. He was fantastic and I also think watching this film puts a light on our president in a different way for me. Does it change my feelings? No, but it definitely helps me understand some things. A movie that is all about high level acting and storytelling. Casual movie watchers may want to pass, but if you like a well put together movie then you should find some time!
-J
