"The Apprentice" debuts with mixed reactions at Cannes Film Festival.
A movie revolving around the potential Republican nominee arrives five months before the presidential election.
The film, with Sebastian Stan portraying a young Trump, is described as an "examination of power and desire set in a environment of dishonesty and treachery," according to an official summary.
Jeremy Strong, who stars in "Succession," co-stars as Cohn, a lawyer and fixer whom Trump viewed as a mentor early in his career.
The synopsis adds that the story showcases a "protege-mentor relationship that traces the origins of an American dynasty. Packed with bold characters, it reveals the ethical and human costs of a society defined by victors and losers."
"The Apprentice" (which has nothing to do with the show Trump starred in), carries a disclaimer that certain aspects of the story are slightly altered. It's written by biographer and political author Gabriel Sherman and directed by Iranian-Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi.
Abbasi, during the movie's premiere on Monday, told the audience, "In times of tumult, there's a tendency to bury your head in the sand, wishing for the best, hoping the storm passes."
"But, the storm isn't going away. The worst times are coming," Abbasi continued.
Abbasi expressed that he made a film about the world using Trump as the subject, because "there's no elegant metaphorical way to tackle the surging fascism."
"There's only the messy way, the mundane way. There's only the way of confronting this wave on its terrain at its level," he stated. "It won't be pretty, but I think good people have been silent for too long."
The film features Trump's marriage to his first wife, Ivana, and their divorce, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The portrayal of Trump undergoing liposuction led to audible gasps from the audience, the publication noted.
"We'll be filing a lawsuit to address the recklessly false claims by these fake filmmakers," said Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesperson, in a statement to CNN. "'The Apprentice' is nothing more than sensationalized falsehoods that have long been disproven. This 'film' doesn't belong in a DVD section of a future bankruptcy store—it belongs in a dumpster fire."
Bakalova plays the late Ivana Trump, who passed away in 2022. Donovan, McNally, and Carrick join the ensemble cast.
A premiere date for the film is yet to be revealed. "The Apprentice" doesn't have a U.S.-based distributor, as per IMDb.
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The entertainment industry eagerly awaits the release of "The Apprentice," the highly anticipated film based on political events. This movie promises to delve deep into the world of power, ambition, and morality, providing a compelling examination of a prominent figure's rise to fame.
Source: edition.cnn.com
