“The Apprentice,” a provocative biopic chronicling Donald Trump’s ascent through the New York real estate scene in the 70s and 80s, has captured the Cannes Film Festival’s attention, sparking both an ovation and polarized discussions among attendees and critics. The Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi, known for his work on “Border” and “Holy Spider,” has steered the movie into the spotlight with a narrative centered around Trump’s tutelage under lawyer Roy Cohn, his tumultuous relationship with his first wife, Ivana, and his infamous business dealings.
The film, featuring Sebastian Stan’s transformative portrayal of Trump, alongside Jeremy Strong’s depiction of Roy Cohn and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, has been met with a powerful reception: a standing ovation that lasted between eight and eleven minutes, according to various reports. It’s a testament to the film’s impact, with Abbasi’s impassioned cries that “It’s time to make movies relevant. It’s time to make movies political again,” resonating within the hallowed venue.
“The Apprentice” delves deep into Trump’s psyche during his early years, focusing on a racial discrimination lawsuit from the Justice Department and his endeavors to construct the iconic Trump Tower. Controversial scenes depicting Trump’s alleged rape of Ivana and undergoing liposuction surgery have been met with gasps and appalled reactions, signaling the film’s uncompromising approach to its subject matter.
Yet, the film extends beyond the spectacle of its controversial scenes. According to Abbasi, the intent is to confront the “rising wave of fascism” head-on. In his own words, “There’s only the messy way. There’s only the banal way. There’s only the way of dealing with this wave on its own terms, at its own level, and it’s not going to be pretty.”
Critics are torn. Some applaud the film as a “spirited, entertaining, and not overly cheeky docudrama,” while others criticize it as a “cartoon” that reframes Trump as a pre-presidential figure of jest, possibly undermining the severity of his impact on the political stage.
Behind the scenes, the movie’s path has been anything but smooth. Reports of investors like Dan Snyder, initially expecting a more favorable depiction of Trump, and now “furious” with the final cut, illustrate the complexities of backing a film with such a contentious subject at its core.
As “The Apprentice” premieres against the backdrop of Trump’s potential run for office again, its search for a domestic distribution deal continues. It stands as one of the festival’s most talked-about projects, drawing the international film community’s gaze to its provocative take on a figure who has dominated not just American politics but the global conversation.
Relevant articles:
– Brutal Donald Trump Biopic ‘The Apprentice’ Gets 8-Minute Cannes Standing Ovation as Director Says ‘It’s Time to Make Movies Political Again’, variety.com, 05/21/2024
– Donald Trump Movie ‘The Apprentice’ Shocks Cannes, Receives Nearly Eight-Minute Standing Ovation, Hollywood Reporter, 05/20/2024
– Donald Trump Origin Tale ‘The Apprentice’ Gets 11-Minute Ovation At Its Cannes World Premiere, Deadline, 05/20/2024
– Minute Cannes Standing Ovation as Director Says ‘It’s Time to Make Movies Political Again’, imdb, 05/20/2024
– Shocking Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ at Cannes includes liposuction and a rape, New York Post, 05/20/2024
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