Upon hearing the words “Trump biopic,” I let out an audible sigh. My first thought was: does Donald Trump really need more exposure? Not to mention this film was released October 11, less than a month prior to the election.
It’s easy for a biopic to stray away from the path of validity and venture into fiction. Usually this choice is understandable, after all, film is entertainment! But one must be careful when exercising these liberties, especially in Trump’s case. This is not a story about Mark Zuckerberg or Elton John, this is a former president (and now president-elect) and aspiring dictator.
The Apprentice follows Trump’s evolution from an awkward random-son-of-a-multimillionaire to a modern-day robber baron. Such change is attributed to his mentor, Roy Cohn, a highly successful New York lawyer. Origin story aside, the dynamic between Trump, played by Sebastian Stan (who is far too handsome for the role), and Cohn, played by Jeremy Strong, in many ways steals the spotlight. It’s a fascinating sight, watching their friendship crumble as Trump becomes more of a monster than Cohn ever was.
I can undoubtedly say that Abassi had a beautiful vision for this film – his use of small aspect ratios and grainy film match the 80’s time period and go hand-in-hand with Trump’s television-oriented persona – but I’m not quite sure how I feel about his more literary choices.
In the beginning of the movie, Trump is a self-conscious nobody, orbiting the outskirts of high-society and frequently picked on by the “big dogs.” And while these “humble” beginnings form a wonderful story – making his rise to power tenfold more enthralling – it also humanizes Donald Trump. While watching I occasionally caught myself forgetting who this story was about.
To be clear, Abassi certainly establishes Trump as the barbarian he is (and he does it well!), it simply takes time to get there. I feel as though somebody like Trump should not be given even a second of forgiveness nor an ounce of humanity, regardless of how the story ends.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Abassi, in response to this very concern, stated, “It’s a crazy criticism to come to us and say, “Why are you humanizing these people?” Shouldn’t we be scared of doing the opposite with cinema — of dehumanizing? Humanizing someone does not exonerate them — quite the opposite, it implicates all of us.”
Abassi might be correct, but I can’t help but have my reservations. As I stated above, this is not a biopic about just anyone, this is a tale of Donald Trump. I therefore believe the media should tread very lightly when discussing him.
Politics aside, Stan and Strong deliver powerful performances that wonderfully complement Abassi’s raw, Succession-like directing. I strongly recommend this film, one for its entertaining qualities, and two so that YOU can help me answer the question: should Donald Trump, in any circumstance, be humanized?