Review: Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, and Maria Bakalova star in ‘The Apprentice’

Maria Bakalova and Sebastian Stan in ‘The Apprentice.’ Photo Courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment.

Actors Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, and Maria Bakalova star in “The Apprentice,” which was released in theaters on October 11th.

Ali Abbasi directed from a script by Gabriel Sherman. The synopsis is: A young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan), eager to make his name as a hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), the cutthroat attorney who would help create the Donald Trump we know today.

Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protégé—someone with raw ambition, a hunger for success, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

This movie takes an introspective look at Donald Trump’s rise as a young businessman in 1970s Manhattan.

Sebastian Stan is transformative as Donald Trump, where he layers his emotions well and is able to show different sides of his controversial character.

Jeremy Strong commands every scene he is in as the ruthless but business savvy mentor Roy Cohn, who clearly helped shape and mold Trump into the mogul he is today.

Academy Award nominee Maria Bakalova soars in the role of Ivana Trump, his first wife. Bakalova is witty, sassy, dramatic, and the voice of reason at the end (especially in a poignant scene with Jeremy Strong at the dinner table). She is able to humanize Ivana and the audience feels for her.

Ivana’s complex rapport with Donald Trump in the film allows for more resonance.

The Verdict

Overall, “The Apprentice” is a compelling film from start to finish. Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong and Maria Bakalova all deliver Oscar-caliber performances. The screenplay is strong, and it doesn’t get too preachy.

It will certainly stick with viewers well after it’s over, and it will spark conversations among the viewers. “The Apprentice” garners 4.5 out of 5 stars. Well done.