Young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) is the second son in a wealthy family in 1970s New York. While his elder brother Fred (Charlie Carrick) disappoints their father by becoming a pilot, Donald is collecting rent door-to-door from down and out people, who spit at him and throw hot water over him, for his slumlord father Fred Trump (Martin Donovan).
The family business is being sued for racial discrimination for charging Black tenants more for a deposit, and Donald is eager to get out of his father’s shadow. He has big plans for New York City, in particular a tower of apartments, offices and retail in a run-down part of the city.
Donald joins a private club initially to meet cutthroat lawyer Roy Cohn (brilliantly portrayed by Jeremy Strong) who was famous for defending mobsters, to get help for his father’s unwinnable count case. Roy’s tactics are extreme and include blackmail and bribery and, as well as winning the case, he begins a mentoring relationship with Donald.
As the film progresses, Sebastian Stan takes on more of the Donald mannerisms, that we are used to seeing in the media today, and his character transforms into a ruthless businessman.
The film is certainly a sympathetic portrayal of a young man caught between two bullies and learning the “art of the deal”. But there is a huge difference in personalities between Donald and his older brother, who doesn’t have the potential for lies and deceit that Cohen sees in Donald.
While the apprentice gains power, wealth and prominence, Roy Cohn, who once worked for Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare, begins to suffer a decline. He denied his sexuality and suffered from AIDS-related illness for years, finding himself in the position of having to beg his protégé for help.
Donald shows how well he has learnt the lessons.
Lezly Herbert
