The early years of Donald Trump’s life as a businessman are explored inThe Apprentice,and the movie’s ending offers a ton of material to break down. Directed by filmmaker Ali Abbasi,The Apprenticeis a biographical drama that follows a young Donald Trump, who forms a Faustian pact with ultra-sleazy prosecutor Roy Cohn, leading to his rise to real-estate prominence in the 1970s and ’80s.The Apprenticecastis led by Sebastian Stan (MCU,Pam & Tommy) and Jeremy Strong (Succession,The Big Short).
Followingcontroversy surroundingThe Apprentice, the film is finally out in theaters. The movie sees Donald Trump’s humanity falter as his business savvy grows under the tutelage of the cutthroat Roy Cohn. After some time jumps, Trump begins to ignore Cohn’s business advice, continuing to buy property in New York and Atlantic City, beginning new business ventures he lacks capital for. Roy Cohn continues to grow frustrated with Trump while also suffering from AIDS, leading to him eventually passing away. Meanwhile,Trump’s other personal relationships start to falter as he focuses on his business empire.
What Donald Trump’s Closing Monologue & 3 Rules For Success Really Mean
Donald Trump Has Stolen Roy Cohn’s Rules
The Apprenticemovie ends with Donald Trump speaking to Tony Schwartz, the man who ghostwroteTrump: The Art of the Deal. Schwartz interviews Trump about various aspects of his life, with Trump explaining his passion and purpose in life. He explains thatdeals and business aren’t a means to an end for him, but rather the general thrill of his life. He’s become consumed by the act of “winning” and describes making deals as an art form, citing three major rules of his success:
Of course, these are the exact same rules described earlier in the film by Roy Cohn, though Trump has now taken the knowledge and has begun passing them off as his own. The most crucial aspect of the ending is thatTrump claims one must be born with the killer instinct, hiding the impact Roy Cohn hadon developing him into the man he’d become. He’s essentially taken everything Cohn has taught him and embraced it to the fullest, denying the existence of any part of him that was ever “weak.”
Why Donald Trump Gets Surgery At The End Of The Apprentice
Donald Trump Fully Transforms Into A Monster
Another major, controversial scene at the end ofThe Apprenticeshows Donald Trump receiving liposuction to reduce fat in his stomach and surgery to cover up a bald spot on his head. The perception of physical appearance is a crucial aspect of character development in the film, with Trump comparing himself to Robert Redford on multiple occasions. This scene demonstrates what is essentially the final stage in the creation of a monster, with excruciating detailshown to create a Frankenstein’s monster-like parallel as his last bit of humanity is metaphorically removed.
Sebastian Stan’s Donald Trump Movie Earns Solid Rotten Tomatoes Score After Fighting For Release
The Rotten Tomatoes score for Sebastian Stan’s The Apprentice gets unveiled, promising a movie worth watching and a solid performance from the actor.
How Roy Cohn Died In The Apprentice’s Ending
Roy Cohn Suffered From AIDS Before Dying In 1986
Despite Roy Cohn’s consistent homophobia throughoutThe Apprentice, the prosecutor is shown at one point to be partaking in an entirely male orgy, which Donald Trump walks in on. Cohn, along with his lover, Russell, develops AIDS but hides the matter publicly, claiming instead to have cancer, hoping to conceal his homosexuality. Despite Trump losing interest in Cohn over time, he tried to draw out legal advice from him one last time, throwing him anawkward birthday party in Florida shortly before Cohn’s death due to AIDS in 1986.
How Donald Trump Deals With His Past In The Apprentice
Trump Sees His Family & Past As Weakness To Ignore
Donald Trump’s family life is a critical aspect of his character development inThe Apprentice. Trump’s relationship with his father and older brother grows more complex throughout the biopic, as Trump’s rise to power makes him rather vindictive toward his father and unforgiving toward his struggling brother. Trump’s father, Fred Trump, laid the foundation for their real-estate business, but his harsh behavior is portrayed as something Donald is highly resentful of. In a different sense,Donald doesn’t express much sympathy for his brother’s struggles with addiction, instead seeing Fred Trump Jr. as being weak.
The Apprentice Review: Sebastian Stan’s Uncanny Trump Performance Is Award-Winning In Striking Biopic
While the film is exactly what you’d expect, it comes with stunning performances and an exciting script that enchants you with its drama.
In a crucial scene following Fred Jr.’s death, Donald Trump is shown to begin crying but tries to put off his emotions, seeing them as a sign of weakness, despite Ivana inviting him to express his sorrows. Donald also tries to trick his barely cogent, aging father into signing papers that would harm the rest of their family, showing little regard for the man who essentially launched his career. When asked about his tough upbringing,Trump claims that he’s not interested in talking about the past. Donald Trump sees his family as a weakness to put behind him.
What The Apprentice’s Director Has Said About His Portrayal Of Donald Trump
Ali Abbasi Claims The Apprentice Isn’t A Take-down Of Donald Trump
Despite some massively controversial scenes, Ali Abbasi has maintained that his portrayal of Donald Trump isn’t a take-down. Following the movie’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May,Abbasi stated, “I don’t necessarily think that this is a movie he would dislike,“referring to the former president (viaVariety). Following the Trump Campaign’s harsh response to the movie (viaVariety), Abbasi personally offered to screenThe Apprenticefor Trump, hoping to discuss his interpretation with him.
What Donald Trump Has Said About The Apprentice
The Former President’s Team Has Declared The Movie As “Garbage”
Despite someharsh responses from Trump’s campaign aboutThe Apprentice, the former president hasn’t made any personal statements about Sebastian Stan’s portrayal. Trump campaign spokespersonSteven Cheung spoke regarding the contents of Abbasi’s film, saying, “This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked.“Donald Trump himself hasn’t made any comment, and there’s no information that suggests he’s even seen the movie.
The Real Meaning Of The Apprentice’s Ending
As he acquires more wealth, power, and notoriety, Donald Trump loses any semblance of love and respect for everyone in his life except for himself, ultimately becoming a monster.
As much asThe Apprenticeis a biopic about Donald Trump, it’s also a broader exploration of the cycle of power and corruption in America. Donald Trump’s life and connection to Roy Cohn are crucial to the movie, but they alsoserve as a representation of more generalized archetypes of the wealthy elite and the “winners and losers” form of thinking in American capitalism. Roy Cohn essentially teaches Trump to abandon emotion and feeling in order to win, but the film explores how both men were still ultimately human, despite their best efforts not to be.
In an interview withThe New York Times, actorJeremy Strong states, “We’re trying to hold a mirror up to this world and these individuals and attempt to understand how we got here.“The Apprenticeisn’t an oversimplified take-down of Donald Trump; it’s a film about how the corruption of high-end business culture and the acquisition of power rids a person of their humanity. As he acquires more wealth, power, and notoriety, Donald Trump loses any semblance of love and respect for everyone in his life except for himself, ultimately becoming a monster.
Sources:Variety,The New York Times
The Apprentice
The Apprentice depicts a young Donald Trump in 1970s New York, highlighting his formative relationship with Roy Cohn, a ruthless attorney. As Trump seeks to establish his own legacy, Cohn identifies him as an ideal protégé, drawn to his ambition and determination to succeed at any cost.
