“Melania” chronicles First Lady Melania Trump’s role in Donald J. Trump’s inauguration, documenting the 20 days leading up to the event within the span of 104 minutes.
The movie, released Jan. 30, was directed by American filmmaker Brett Ratner, who is known for his highly successful “Rush Hour” trilogy.
“Melania” made almost $7 million, over the projected box office, and is the highest-grossing debut for a non-music documentary in over a decade, according to CNBC. However, this raises several questions, as the theatre was fairly empty during some showings. Are these statistics legitimate?
The documentary immediately brings the audience into an almost 20-minute introduction to Melania getting ready at her Mar-a-Lago home, the Trumps’ primary residence in Palm Beach, Fla. It consists of her choosing hats, outfits and accessories, displaying her adoration for fashion. This segment adds almost nothing to the plot and provides no information as to who Melania is or what the movie is about. Rather, it is a shallow display of her luxurious life.
Just as dull as the fashion scenes are the moments of Melania roaming the halls of the White House. The film entirely focuses on the decor and architecture of the building, while futile commentary is made once again.
The entire middle half of the documentary grants viewers an exclusive “behind the scenes” look at Melania’s re-transition into the position of First Lady. This portrait of what is supposedly the First Lady’s daily life manifests only the utmost surface-level details. It leaves the remaining portions, such as her upbringing, childhood and road to politics, a complete enigma for viewers.
A recounting of her life, like a typical biographical documentary, is what many viewers assumed would be the movie’s loose premise. Instead, there was a superficial and withdrawn tone to the film.
Much of the dialogue, actions and scenes appeared immensely staged to avoid political controversy or shine light on any current political state. It felt like watching a film pushed out by aristocracy; it was media that appeared to solely glamourize wealth and the highly powerful. The documentary profoundly emulates greed, affluence and a vast disconnect from society.
There is no raw emotion or authenticity to the documentary, leaving viewers confused about its purpose. A lack of theme, substance or deeper meaning explains the Rotten Tomatoes rating of 5%.
“Melania” should have been an unembellished, naked look into the life of either Melania herself or what it means to be the First Lady of the United States. A candid and blunt overview of her childhood and current life would have made this documentary much more successful, realistic and adored.
The movie was hard to sit through and provides no historical significance. It is void of entertainment or depth; you should not waste your money or time on “Melania.”
Rating: 0.5/5
