Yahoo News ‘The Apprentice’ Trump Biopic Splits Critics: Reactions Range From ‘Pointless’ to ‘Provocative’ With a ‘Strong Thesis’
The Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice” landed at Cannes on Monday, tracking the former president’s rise the former president in the New York real estate world, and critics and journalists had a lot to say. Some applauded the film for its strong performances, while others felt it was a lackluster flick that spoon-fed its audience old information about the former president.
“‘The Apprentice is woefully bad — and worse, pointless,” New York Times editor Karl Delossantos tweeted on X (formerly Twitter). “A melange of Wikipedia plot points mixed with Donald Trump sound bites we’ve heard a thousand times that feel forced in. SNL was a more incisive portrayal of Trump. A frankly embarrassing effort.”
THE APPRENTICE is woefully bad—and worse, pointless. A melange of Wikipedia plot points mixed with Donald Trump sound bites we’ve heard a thousand times that feel forced in. SNL was a more incisive portrayal of Trump. A frankly embarrassing effort. #Cannes pic.twitter.com/2KVRHXBEtv
— Karl Delossantos @ Cannes (@karl_delo) May 20, 2024
That was one takeaway from the journalist community, while That Shelf film critic Jason Gorber had more positive words for the film, describing it as an “Origin story for the Orange one, the relationship between Master and Student revealed with a darkly comedic bent and Shakespearean tragic scope. Beautifully acted, terrific production design, a deep and provocative film that still manages to humanize.”
THE APPRENTICE – Origin story for the Orange one, the relationship between Master and Student revealed with a darkly comedic bent and Shakespearean tragic scope. Beautifully acted, terrific production design, a deep and provocative film that still manages to humanize #cannes2024 pic.twitter.com/3FX9aOUukE
— Jason Gorber (@filmfest_ca) May 20, 2024
Film critic Brother Bro said “The Apprentice” provided more perspective on Trump’s background and personality.
“Really liked The Apprentice! Sebastian Stan’s performance exceeded my expectations,” he wrote on X. “Left feeling like this was a truthful dive into the ethos that guides Trump and of corruption in general. Kinda spoon-feeds you, but it had a strong thesis and was well done.”
Really liked The Apprentice! Sebastian Stan’s performance exceeded my expectations. Left feeling like this was a truthful dive into the ethos that guides Trump and of corruption in general. Kinda spoon-feeds you, but it had a strong thesis and was well done pic.twitter.com/eDHzsYlrab
— Brother Bro @Cannes (@withbrotherbro) May 20, 2024
“The Apprentice” was written by Gabriel Sherman and directed by Ali Abbasi. It takes a look into the the life and career of Donald Trump working as a real estate businessman in New York during the 1970s and the ’80s, supported by lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). The cast includes Stan, Strong, Maria Bakalova and Martin Donovan.
Check out more of the responses to the film below:
the apprentice reviewers saying jeremy strong gave an oscar worthy performance pic.twitter.com/8f1kt7mZo9
— jay (@kendallhosseini) May 20, 2024
If you are going to make a film like THE APPRENTICE during an election year it better be brave enough to dive into the deep end, this is not. Sebastian Stan does well to evade a caricature-esqe performance & gets better by the minute. Editing & sound-mixing are evidently rushed. pic.twitter.com/Ei7RRnhynX
— yasmine | ياسمين (@filmwithyas) May 20, 2024
The Apprentice is just too shallow to be taken seriously but my man Jeremy Strong once again overdid the assignment. He’s like this hardworking kid who writes 20 page essays for a simple homework. #Cannes2024 pic.twitter.com/jna7WNHxSe
— Öykü Sofuoğlu (@FerideMercury) May 20, 2024
A reminder, you don't have to see every movie or even talk about every movie.
This is about "The Apprentice".— Classic McDavid (@henchman21) May 20, 2024
The Apprentice: just because you've cast Jeremy Strong doesn't mean you need to rip off the Succession score!!!!
— hannah strong (@thethirdhan) May 20, 2024
jeremy strong getting acclaim for his performance in the apprentice pic.twitter.com/S9Uo1PURXk
— vlo
(@vlotoyou) May 20, 2024
I feel like "The Apprentice" is gonna run into the same commercial issue Oliver Stone's "W" did: you're making a movie about a guy for an audience of people who hate him, and expecting them to pay to spend time with them even though you're sick of the coverage of them.
— David Leninhawk
(@DavidLeninhawk) May 20, 2024
The Apprentice is like the 2016 Johnny Depp Funny or Die Trump thing but worse and 2 hrs long
— Screen Slate (@ScreenSlate) May 20, 2024
The post ‘The Apprentice’ Trump Biopic Splits Critics: Reactions Range From ‘Pointless’ to ‘Provocative’ With a ‘Strong Thesis’ appeared first on TheWrap.
