Abbasi’s entertaining Trump biopic features award-winning actors Strong and Stan.

Since its announcement, the Donald Trump biopic has been surrounded by a shadow of controversy. Given the former president’s life history, it’s easy to see why people were for or against this. Student The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to thunderous applause. Written by Gabriel Sherman and directed by Ali Abbasi, the story follows Trump’s early career and his quest to expand his real estate under the guidance of lawyer Roy Cohn. While the film lives up to expectations, it has some amazing acting and a gripping screenplay that captivates with its drama.

The Apprentice is a standard biopic that informs and entertains

At the height of the economic crisis of the 1980s, New York City needed massive reconstruction to bring revenue back to the city. Where the government has seemingly failed to offer promising solutions, one man had an idea to transform the Big Apple for long-term benefit. Donald J. Trump (Sebastian Stan), a visionary real estate magnate, was a man with a plan. The only thing stopping him from realizing his vision? His father. It’s only when he meets Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a ruthless lawyer who has nearly every government official in his pocket, that things start to go his way.

The Swarm’s three rules for success were simple: 1) attack (X3), 2) admit nothing, deny everything, and 3) claim victory and never admit defeat. Trump quickly adapted these recommendations and even declared them his own. And while the script adequately demonstrates how Trump became the man we know today, there is a subtle sense that it was all Cohn’s doing, absolving him of responsibility. It didn’t take long for Abbasi and co-writer Gabriel Sherman to adjust. Fortunately, that feeling eventually subsided thanks to the way Trump treats those around him in the absence of Cohn’s influence.

Abbasi’s narrative combines contradictions and humor

As written, the script is sure to be controversial no matter how you feel about its subject matter. But one thing is for sure: this is a damn good movie. Balancing serious moments with humorous overtones, Student this is the type of biopic that lives up to expectations with its storytelling and vibrancy. Where the film calls for more drama and flair, Abbasi pulls out all the stops to add spectacle. It’s also careful not to overdo it like most biopics do. Instead, Abbasi caters to viewers who simply want to be entertained and informed.

While the film often showcases its characters’ corrupt backstories, it’s the performances that make it more entertaining. Stan is amazing as Trump. He perfects his tone of speech and facial expressions with precision, but also restrains himself enough to avoid being a caricature. However, the biggest highlight for me was Strong as Kon. The way Strong managed to be devoid of human emotion in his own eyes is a brilliant piece of work. It takes enormous effort to create a believable character based on one of the most famous public figures in the United States. It’s still early, but this is the best performance by a supporting actor.

A wonderful film dedicated to the rise of a scandalous businessman. Student turns the biopic genre on its head and delivers a truly worthwhile film. With top-notch performances from Stan and Strong, this is a film you should watch no matter how you feel about the story. With appropriately powerful sequences and simple storytelling, Abbasi’s latest work provides a good insight into Trump’s rise to power. Whether or not this changes your opinion of it, consider this film a treat thanks to its entertaining structure.

Student is now playing in cinemas. The film is 120 minutes long and is rated for sexual content, some nudity, strong language, sexual violence and drug use.