Director Ron Howard presents a curious, tongue‑in‑cheek look at a long‑lost “movie of the week” that pretends to adapt Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal, with Johnny Depp portraying the businessman. The film opens in 1986, when a young boy stumbles into Trump’s office clutching a copy of the book, and a call from Merv Griffin, Patton Oswalt, sets the stage as Griffin refuses to sell him the Taj Mahal Casino and Resort in Atlantic City. Trump proceeds to recount his background and personal history to educate the boy.
Chapter 1: The Art of Intimidating Rent Controlled Tenants
Set in 1983, the story follows Trump meeting a homeless vagrant and persuading him to terrify the tenants living in one of his buildings, illustrating his ruthless approach to expanding his real estate empire and the leverage he believes he can wield.
Chapter 2: The Art of Defeating Totally Bogus Discrimination Lawsuits
In a 1973 frame, Trump clashes with Mayor Ed Koch, [Henry Winkler], and scouts a path around civil rights charges by aligning with club owner Igor Cassini. He hires Roy Cohn, [Paul Scheer], to lead the fight, and their efforts manage to win. After Cohn’s death from AIDS, Jerry Schrager becomes Trump’s new lawyer, a change that shapes the legal maneuvers surrounding his ventures, as the narrative moves through a rapid sequence of confrontations and courtroom strategies.
Trump also performs a rap about litigation with hip‑hop group The Fat Boys, a moment that heightens the sense of spectacle and satirical tone as the plot shifts into the next chapter.
Chapter 3: The Art of Suing Those Losers at the NFL
Trump recounts his feud with Pete Rozelle over the ownership and status of the New Jersey Generals, initiating a high‑profile antitrust lawsuit. A judge ultimately rules in Trump’s favor, but the damages awarded are a symbolic $1, underscoring the performative nature of the conflict. As the narrative unfolds, the young boy’s name is revealed to be Jose, prompting a brief commercial cut that leads to another replacement—this time a new, Caucasian boy stepping into the scene.
Ivana enters the office, Michaela Watkins recounting her time at Trump Castle in Atlantic City and her perspective on the enterprise, adding a personal lens to the saga.
Chapter 4: The Art of Buying a Casino from the Hilton Family
Trump’s journey to acquire a casino continues as he meets Barron Hilton, [Stephen Merchant], who agrees to sell him the property, marking a pivotal expansion of his entertainment footprint and signaling the ongoing push to consolidate influence in Atlantic City.
Chapter 5: The Art of Marrying a Gorgeous Immigrant
The tale moves to 1977, recounting Trump’s marriage to Ivana, and noting that ALF served as best man, a detail that adds to the absurdity and surreal humor threading through the chapters. [Paul Fusco] brings ALF to life in this retelling, blending celebrity satire with pop‑culture iconography.
Trump’s effort to renegotiate with Griffin persists, while his architect Der Scutt presents his design for the Taj Mahal. [Jack McBrayer] appears in the cast as Der Scutt, contributing to the sense of whimsy and parody that threads the film’s sections together.
As the production continues, the replacement of boys who circulate through the office underscores the satirical commentary on publicity, image, and manufactured eras, while the story moves toward a denouement that ties together ambition and consequence.
The Taj Mahal and the Trump Tower arc concludes with a tense sequence in which Trump negotiates the air rights and visual impact of his constructed vision. He consults Walter Hoving, [Robert Morse], of Tiffany & Co., about air rights above the building, while protesters from the Metropolitan Museum of Art voice objections to the project. The narrative underscores a tension between cultural preservation and a sprawling, logo‑driven empire.
After the boy finally finishes his lesson, Merv Griffin relents and sells Trump the Taj Mahal, enabling the film’s late‑stage ambitions to reach their apex. A time traveler from 2016 then enters, intent on stopping Trump from running for president. The 2016 Trump appears and eliminates the time traveler, even seemingly killing Doc Brown, [Christopher Lloyd], to prevent his Back to the Future legacy from ever existing. The climactic moment hints at a body swap as the two attempt to redefine what will come next, with the birthday candles for Trump’s 40th birthday providing a bizarre capstone to the meta‑narrative.
In a post‑credit moment, Ron Howard reflects on the project’s unintended consequences, suggesting the film’s flaws have forced him to question his passion for filmmaking as he disposes of the videotape.
Overall, the piece unfolds as a sprawling, satirical collage that blends real names with fantastical detours, tracking a fictionalized portrait of ambition, media spectacle, and the sometimes slippery line between narrative and self‑advertisement.
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