Review: 'The Apprentice' Lacks Purpose, but Features Great Actors

The very existence of "The Apprentice" is inherently political. This is, in fact, a movie about the current GOP candidate for president's come up, and the factors that shaped the man that he would become, so, no matter how the film is positioned, it's political. There is of course a potentially less politically charged version of this, one less concerned with Donald Trump and far more intrigued by Roy Cohn. But that wouldn't be nearly as attention-grabbing a month before a national election.

In the 1970s, Donald Trump was just another rich son of an even richer man. Feeling stuck in his father's sandbox, Donald yearns for more. For relevancy. For power. As if on cue, enter infamous New York lawyer/fixer Roy Cohn. The cutthroat lawyer emanates power; he's a sycophancy magnet, with a reputation of getting what he wants by any means necessary. In Cohn, Trump sees a potential mentor and aspires to be as feared and revered as him. In Trump, Cohn sees something different, a hungry upstart who can be shaped and used by and for him. Both seek a world that cannot function unless they allow it, but it's unclear just how such a world can support these two villains.

It's hard to view "The Apprentice" as anything more than fuel for a thousand think pieces. Trump is a polarizing figure wherein those on either side have decidedly made up their mind. So if "The Apprentice" is not something to change minds in laying bare its subject's more dastardly deeds (or alleged deeds), then what's its purpose? A historical account? A nuanced portrayal of a controversial man? An explanation for a man that has been the center of political discourse for nearly a decade? Having watched "The Apprentice," I truly do not know the answer.

As it is, "The Apprentice" functions primarily as a vehicle for two actors to showcase their talents. Sebastian Stan takes on the thankless role of Donald Trump and largely acquits himself well. His mannerisms may be more in line with modern day Trump than that of the 1970s and '80s, but the familiarity allows you to focus more on the story than the impression. Stan, however, is upstaged by Jeremy Strong's Roy Cohn who may have made for a better lead of this tale. Strong slithers through scenes and imbues all of his movements with a confidence in his ability to create unrest. He shows Cohn to be a man that, while perhaps diminutive in stature, deserves a starring role in the nightmares of all those that he interacts with. It is a harrowing depiction that director Ali Abbasi unfortunately shoves to the side to focus more on the sensationalized and titular apprentice.

If there is one thing that "The Apprentice" manages in its runtime, it is to make you feel something for a despicable figure – not Donald Trump, but Roy Cohn. As shown, Cohn was hoisted with his own petard, outplayed by the very man that he taught. Does Cohn, a man routinely referred to as Satan, deserve our sympathies? Surely not; and yet, as depicted, it's hard to not feel something for him, which is a true testament to the power of Jeremy Strong's acting.

It's not that "The Apprentice" is a bad movie. Stylistically, its '70s grainy aesthetic is interesting and the cast collectively turn in fantastic performances. The events depicted, regardless of their veracity, are intriguing, and the film manages to wink at the audience just enough to be knowing and not annoying.

However, it all feels somewhat aimless, a film that didn't need to exist, and yet here it is, seemingly to be picked apart to no end. It will simultaneously be said to be too hard and too soft on Donald Trump.

"The Apprentice" is a movie of compromise, lacking in a direction of purpose other than to remind us that Jeremy Strong is one of the best actors currently in the game.

"The Apprentice" opens in theaters on October 11.