Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016) Reviews

• More fun than funny

  peefyn2016-02-13

  Context: I am not American, and do not live in the US. In many ways, this could be compared to the 2015 HBO TV-movie 7 Days in Hell. It's essentially a long skit based around one central idea, featuring a number of celebrity cameos. It's something where those involved obviously must have had great fun making it, and that joy is transferred to the viewer. There is also a case to be made for a comparison between this and 2015s Kung Fury. Both rely heavily on replicating (and exaggerating) the looks and feel of popular media from a former decade (specifically the 80s). While I can not be sure about their motives, it's easy to imagine that the people involved with this meant this as a sort of satirical reflection over Trump's character, or as an comedic attack on him. Because of Trump's way of handling his legacy and public image (basically not caring), this is not a very successful game plan. And because the caricature of Trump in this movie is (sadly) believable, it never becomes all that funny.

• Funnyish, clearly partisan but worth a view

  sandiegoharry2016-09-15

  It appears that several Hollywood folks do not love The Donald - big shock. So these folks decide to make a movie that ranges from poking a bit of fun at His Donaldness to outright attacking his character. Again, big shock. So view this knowing that it's a slam on Trump that's amusing and nothing more. I too think that Trump is a buffoon, and I get that this "movie" what whipped up in a real hurry, but a better made, more well thought out effort might have been... well, more entertaining. This movie will likely really please folks who are terrified of Trump, annoy his followers and leave the rest of us with a big "Meh... it was okay".

• Hilarious and the genius was capturing trump's cult of personality and ridiculousness without exaggeration

  ThomasJeff2016-04-27

  The jokes are very intelligent and satirical but it takes some effort or knowledge to understand some of them. Much of the plot is based on Trump's real life. That's the key to satire, showing the absurdity of Trump's candidacy without exaggerating much at all and everything is 100% true. Trump's cult of personality will of course not be swayed but that's the thing about cults, their spread slows and eventually the cultists just go away into the forest with their own nuttery as people start to see just how insane they are. The jokes were not only smart but very offensive which I find to be exactly what I'm looking for in a comedy.

• Not Very Funny...

  framptonhollis2016-08-12

  The concept of this movie is actually really fascinating to me. Personally, I really dislike Donald Trump, and a good satire of him would work extremely well! Also, it's interesting how this movie is a) an adaptation of his book "The Art of the Deal" b)is shot as mockumentary, and has a cool visual style, and c) Johnny Depp is playing Donald Trump! However, the movie itself is nowhere near as good as its concept!While I did laugh a couple of times here and there, it was, overall, very unfunny. Most of it is immaturely making fun of Trump instead of packing the movie with little details about Trump's life that would take actual research. I'm ALWAYS impressed when those behind the scenes actually do research on whoever/whatever they're satirizing. But, despite the movie not really being funny, I thought Johnny Depp did a pretty great job. He doesn't look or sound much like the real Donald Trump, but his performance is extremely unique and bizarre, and I really found myself enjoying! Also, I'd like to comment on the people angrily calling this movie "propaganda". I highly disagree with them. It's just a quick little comedy that pokes fun of Trump, it's no "Triumph of the Will"! Really, calm down! Overall, this movie made me agree with what Ron Howard said at the end of the credits.

• Tired Material That Will Appeal To Anti Trump Fanatics

  sddavis632016-11-18

  I know this was released several months before he actually won the election, but since Donald J. Trump is now the president elect of the United States, this short movie will probably start to get a lot of attention. It's less than an hour and it's a satirical look at Trump's book "The Art Of The Deal." It's narrated at the beginning and end by Ron Howard, who "explains" that it's a lost movie that Trump himself made and then discarded until it was found at a yard sale outside Phoenix. OK. So it's supposed to be satire. The problem is that it just wasn't very funny. Maybe it's just because of the unending coverage of a very uninspiring campaign, and now the unending coverage of the transition, but this material portraying Trump as a racist and sexist, etc. already seems tired. I don't care for Trump myself (wouldn't have voted for him if I had been able to vote) and I have no objection to poking fun at public figures - but this just wasn't very funny as far as I could see. "Tired" sums it up. It's the same stuff that's been being said about Trump ever since he jumped into the race a year and a half ago (although it seems so much longer.) Johnny Depp was all right as the Donald, although he didn't nail him as well as Alec Baldwin has done on Saturday Night Live, but beyond Depp this didn't have much going for it. Fanatical Trump haters will probably think it's classic. It actually put me to sleep toward the end. (2/10)