The Apprentice (15)

Taking its name from a certain TV show, The Apprentice is a shrewd and darkly amusing tragicomedy that dramatises Donald Trump's rise to fame and fortune in the 1970s and 80s.

Donald (Sebastian Stan in a garish wig) is first seen as a young man working for a New York real estate company run by his father, knocking on doors and collecting rent from his impoverished tenants, but he dreams of opening a luxury high-rise hotel near Central Station. Enter Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), a vicious lawyer. Donald is spellbound by his three rules for success: always attack, never admit to any wrongdoing, and never admit defeat. Donald then embarks on building his empire, by any means necessary.

The film, which Trump himself called “garbage” and “election interference” (a swinging endorsement, and all the more reason to see it), is a surprisingly witty and surreal affair. While it does slide into more conventional biopic beats in the second half, it’s still a fun and engaging dramedy; plus, any excuse for Succession fans to catch Kendall Roy on the big screen is worth a ticket.