The new Amazon MGM documentary Melania surprised Hollywood on last weekend with a historic box office debut, hauling in more than $78 million, making it the best opening weekend for a documentary in a decade Insiders admitted that the strong response from grassroots audiences drove the decision to expand theaters, as viewers across the country flocked to what some call one of the most unusual political films in recent years.
MELANIA | Official Trailer
Directed by Brett Ratner, known for hits like Rush Hour and X-Men: The Last Stand, the film marks a noticeable turn for the Hollywood veteran. Industry watchers note that during the first Trump administration, few major filmmakers would have risked their careers on a documentary about Melania Trump. “It’s safer now, but not by much,” one producer said, pointing to a Hollywood culture that often punishes political dissent.
Melania takes a softly lit approach to the former First Lady’s private life inside the Trump White House, focusing less on policy and more on personality. It highlights moments of calm behind the chaos of politics. In one scene, Melania advises her husband to use the word “unifier” in his inaugural address. Viewers later see President Trump echoing her counsel, turning to his wife as he promises to lead as a “peacemaker and unifier.”
The film also offers rare glimpses of their relationship, including Melania’s worry over her husband’s safety during the 2017 inauguration. For some, this depiction contradicts years of speculation from mainstream outlets about a cold or distant marriage. Critics have long suggested the couple live separate lives, but Melania lets the First Lady herself push back on those claims.
The response from professional critics and audiences could not be more different. On Rotten Tomatoes, Melania holds a critics score of just eight percent, one of the lowest of any major release this year. Is this the kind of “review bombing” we’ve heard of? However, audience score sits at an astonishing 99 percent over a week later, marking a record gap between the two ratings in the website’s history. There’s no doubt that most reviewers entered the screening with fixed opinions on the Trump family, while the public was either supportive or just reacted directly to what they saw on screen. “Viewers were honest,” one studio source said. “They paid to see their First Lady’s story told.”
Despite the review bombing, the critics, and the media pushback, the film’s popularity continues to rise as word spreads among conservative and independent viewers alike. Supporters describe Melania as a graceful, behind-the-scenes portrait of a woman often misunderstood by the press. Box office projections suggest the film’s momentum could hold through February.
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English (US) · 