Film Capsule: You’ve Been Trumped

There was a time, several years back, when Donald Trump’s trademark brand of unrepentant chauvinism could almost be considered endearing, specifically because he happened to come correct on so many accounts. But all of that’s been rendered moot over the past half decade, as Trump has slowly transformed himself into a made-to-order shill for the conservative right …. shedding both his air of unpredictability and his overall integrity in the process.

Never has this dynamic been on more shocking display than throughout You’ve Been Trumped – a gutsy documentary that chronicles Trump International’s land-grab attempt to build a marquee golf course along the eastern coast of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The major sticking point? A handful of native landowners who absolutely refused to stand down when Trump offered to either buy or force them out. What ensued was a modern-day version of David and Goliath, with struggling farmer Michael Forbes and his long-time neighbors on one side, and Trump’s multi-million-dollar arsenal of bulldozers and bullying tactics on the other.

Anthony Baxter’s documentary is a fascinating study of the ongoing struggle between billion-dollar business interests and civil rights. As the bare-knuckle battle for Aberdeen escalates, it’s astounding to note how crooked the whole sordid business becomes, and how altogether simple it might be to have the wheels of justice turn against someone when there’s a steaming pile of bullion at stake.

Please do check this one out. It’s definitely worth the watch.

(You’ve Been Trumped opens at the Angelika Theater in New York City this Friday, August 3rd, with possible plans for a national rollout to follow.)