In a recent interview, I spoke with Adrian Horton about his thoughts on the controversial film *The Apprentice*, which chronicles Donald Trump’s rise in New York during the 1970s and 80s. Despite its struggles to gain traction in the U.S., the film has found a more receptive audience abroad.
“I’ll be honest, I wasn’t eager to watch *The Apprentice*,” Horton confessed. “Like many in my liberal circles, I just thought, ‘Why would I spend two hours watching this?’ The portrayal of a younger, somewhat altered Sebastian Stan as Trump and Jeremy Strong as his controversial mentor Roy Cohn felt unnecessary, given the numerous narratives surrounding Trump that I wish to move past.”
However, Horton noted that the film, written by Gabriel Sherman and directed by Ali Abbasi, surprised him with its straightforward approach. “While it covers familiar territory, it attempts to offer an honest portrayal of a deeply polarizing figure. Despite the backlash from politically aligned audiences and Trump’s own criticisms—calling it a ‘politically disgusting hatchet job’—I found it sincere in its intent. Sherman expressed a hope that viewers would engage with it independently of their political biases.”
Yet, Horton recognized that this sentiment would likely resonate poorly with American audiences, especially in an election year. “As I watched Stan effectively embody Trump’s nuances and Strong capture Cohn’s eerie demeanor, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Americans, weary of political narratives, wouldn’t embrace the film. It might resonate better with international viewers who don’t face Trump’s presence daily or grasp the nuances of his celebrity as we do.”
The film’s domestic performance reflects this sentiment. During its opening weekend, it grossed only $1.6 million across 1,740 theaters—far from the expected box-office success for an awards contender. “It seems to have found its audience primarily in liberal cities like New York and Los Angeles. In contrast, it has performed better internationally, earning $835,000 in the UK and over $623,000 in France,” Horton explained.
He attributed the film’s lackluster launch in America to various challenges, including distribution hurdles tied to Trump’s influence. “The film faced significant obstacles after its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews. Reports indicated that its principal financier had concerns about a scene depicting an alleged incident involving Trump and Ivana. This led to backlash from Trump’s legal team and thus stalled distribution efforts, with major companies turning it down.”
Horton added that the film only reached theaters thanks to a Kickstarter campaign and last-minute support from the independent label Briarcliff Entertainment. “They had a mere five weeks to market the film, and many U.S. networks refused to air promotional spots during political coverage, further complicating its release.”
Ultimately, Horton described *The Apprentice* as an outsider’s view of Trump, created largely by a cast and crew from outside the U.S. “That perspective, while important, can be a tough sell here. Overall, the film is well-crafted and earnest in its depiction of Trump’s extensive reporting. Yet, it doesn’t offer many new insights. Trump has long been consistent in his persona, and one could argue there’s little left to uncover about him.”
Still, he articulated an understanding of the filmmakers’ desire for viewers to remain open-minded. “It’s about challenging the social dynamics at play in American society, which extend beyond Trump. As Abbasi noted, it may not provide new knowledge, but it could evoke different feelings—like discomfort or provoke thoughts on our own fatigue with the subject.”
Despite these intentions, Horton recognizes the barriers the film faces in connecting with American audiences. “While the filmmakers hope for a fair viewing, it’s clear that their message isn’t gaining traction here in the U.S.”
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