This season’s best bio-dramas, documentaries and real-life characters whose backstories will blow you away …
The Apprentice in cinemas now
The Apprentice is Ali Abbasi’s sizzling exploration of Donald Trump’s rise to power in 1980s America. Starring Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Martin Donovan and Borat 2’s Maria Bakalova, The Apprentice is already a box office smash in America. We already know from the smash show Succession that Jeremy Strong plays deadpan perfectly, so he’s brilliantly odd in his portrayal of Roy Cohn, while the visual of Sebastian Stan as Trump hammers home the bizarre time we’re now living in. The film follows the origins of Trump in 1970s and 1980s Manhattan, where Cohn teaches his “apprentice” how to fight back against a federal lawsuit, alleging that Trump and his father engaged in discrimination against people trying to rent housing from them. Bakalova shines as always as the late Ivana Trump – especially the controversial “pre-nup scene” where the couple argue over their pre-nuptial agreement, which has ruffled some feathers.
This provocative portrait of the man and his mentor – notorious for never letting the truth get in the way of winning a fight – irritated the now President, who tried to block its release before the election. Life imitating art.
Martha on Netflix
Martha Stewart’s documentary is a hot topic since its release last week, so we had to dive right in. For more than five decades, Martha has shaped our culture, in both big and small ways, from teaching us all how to fold a fitted sheet to creating an empire. This documentary covers the breadth of her extraordinary life, through intimate and revealing interviews with the icon herself and her inner circle. R.J. Cutler (director of Elton John: Never Too Late, The September Issue), documents this rise to success.
The documentary breaks down the stories and secrets of America’s most celebrated home-maker, the first-ever influencer and first female self-made billionaire. Martha herself brings us through her life, starting from her childhood in Nutley, New Jersey, to her time modelling, her run as a stockbroker, her catering business and her media empire. Martha also shares her perspective on her conviction and the opportunities she created from that time, her unlikely friendship with rapper Snoop Dogg and even the roast of Justin Bieber.
A remarkably candid insight into the twists and turns of Martha’s life, this is the ultimate tell-all of one of the most iconic and important cultural figures of the last half-century. Watch now on Netflix.
Small Things Like These on Friday November 1
A notable and recognisable cast, from Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson, to Eileen Walsh from Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney’s Catastrophe, and Ciarán Hinds and Clare Dunne from hit Irish show Kin, star in this dark tale. Also starring Michelle Fairley, Mark McKenna and Ella Cannon – what an ensemble. Based on Claire Keegan’s critically acclaimed novel set against the backdrop of the Magdalene Laundries in 1980s Ireland, Cillian Murphy plays a devoted father who uncovers disturbing secrets at the local convent. As he investigates, he discovers shocking truths about his own past and life. Close to a year since he made history as the first Irishman to win Best Actor at the Oscars for Oppenheimer, critics already predict he could scoop another prestigious win for his performance. Watch the trailer now.
The Dark Side of Reality TV on Amazon Prime
The ultimate deep-dive into reality television, each episode shines a light on popular TV shows from Survivor to America’s Next Top Model and The Real Housewives franchise, showing the nitty gritty behind-the-scenes of these lucrative series – with disposable characters to boot. This is not for the faint-hearted and will get you thinking about the material we all consume. Watch it now on Amazon Prime.
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