A Tale of Two Insecure Men, aka The Apprentice
The Apprentice begins with President Nixon’s famous “I’m not a crook” speech, where he claimed in the wake of an ongoing Watergate investigation that he had never personally profited from public service, and maintained that he’s “earned everything he’s got.” That’s an appropriate and scary way to begin this film. After all, we know how Nixon’s (and Trump’s) story plays out. The audience’s foreknowledge is The Apprentice’s biggest hurdle, wanting to shed light on a well-documented figure when that figure remains in the headlines today. I wonder what the point of The Apprentice is, aside from providing a showcase for its stars? It doesn’t feel like a cautionary tale, nor does it take any creative liberties with exposing blame. Instead, The Apprentice is a straight-laced historical re-enactment (with some embellishments) of how a few men with deep insecurities played by their own corrupt rules to gain power. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Apprentice””