The documentary 'Melania,' focusing on First Lady Melania Trump, has achieved a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, verified as genuine by the site's parent company. Despite low critic ratings, the film earned over $7 million in its opening weekend, surpassing expectations. Media reactions highlight a stark divide between critics and viewers.
The documentary 'Melania,' directed by Brett Ratner and produced by Melania Trump herself, offers an inside look at the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's second inauguration. Released in American theaters on January 30, the film quickly defied industry projections of poor performance, grossing around $7 million in its debut weekend—the largest opening for a documentary in a decade. With a reported budget of $40 million from Amazon MGM Studios, it outperformed recent titles like 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' ($19,000 in U.S. earnings) and 'Orwell: 2+2=5' ($355,000).
On Rotten Tomatoes, 'Melania' holds a 7% score from critics, described in reviews from outlets like Variety as an 'orchestrated and airbrushed' infomercial, and by The Globe and Mail as a chronicle of 'excess and greed.' Some critiques drew extreme comparisons, such as to Nazi propaganda or the film 'The Zone of Interest,' with one critic's unsubstantiated review removed from the site. In contrast, the audience Popcornmeter score stands at 99%, confirmed by Versant, Rotten Tomatoes' parent company, which stated: 'There has been no bot manipulation on the audience reviews... Reviews displayed on the Popcornmeter are VERIFIED reviews, meaning it has been verified that users have bought a ticket to the film.' About 75% of viewers were women aged 55 and older.
At the Washington, D.C. premiere last week, Melania Trump emphasized personal satisfaction over commercial metrics: 'I’m very proud of the film, so people may like it, may not like it, and that’s their choice.' She added, 'We achieved what we want to achieve. For myself, it’s already successful. I’m very proud of what we did.' Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel highlighted the score disparity in his monologue, joking that the 99% audience rating was '1% higher than “The Godfather,”' and calling for an FBI investigation. Positive viewer feedback praised the film's style and personal insights, with one writing: 'An inside look at inaugural preparations, done in style... The lady who is smart, elegant, stylish, beautiful & someone who loves this country.' The film expands to 2,000 screens in its second weekend, positioning it as a draw for Amazon Prime Video.
