The most controversial film of 2026 is in cinemas this weekend, as film critics like myself were refused early screenings across the world.
The Melania Trump documentary has been ridiculed this week for its lack of presale ticket sales, with screenshots of empty cinema bookings circulating on social media.
Attending the earliest public showing I could find at a local Cineworld this morning, I was the sole attendee when initially booking.
However, upon my arrival at midday, there were at least 7 people in the audience, including another critic scribbling away on their notepad and later cursing under her breath in fury as the end credits rolled.
In contrast, as an American political history buff, I’ll lap up whatever new documentary on the presidency comes out, regardless of the subject’s party, so I went in very willing to give the First Lady her due.
In the end, what transpired was mostly dull behind-the-scenes movements offering little new insight into the private world of Mrs Trump.
Amazon MGM Studios paid a record-breaking $40 million for this puff piece directed by Brett Ratner, who was ostracised from Hollywood in 2017 when he received multiple sexual assault allegations, which he strongly denies. Melania is his big comeback, as is the newly green-lit Rush Hour 4, which President Trump recently lobbied for.
The documentary, which the First Lady had editorial control over, follows her in the 20 days leading up to Trump’s 2nd Inauguration. The film opens with flair. Melania catwalks onto Trump Force One as the Rolling Stones play over a shot of a bobblehead of her husband as the Terminator on the pilot’s dashboard.
Quite the start, but what follows is all rather slow and frankly vanilla, the major downside of the subject matter having the Final Cut. It’s all incredibly formal as the action moves to New York, with fashionistas fawning around her for dress fittings at the top of Trump Tower.
Melania is clearly an intelligent woman who, as a former model, has a real eye for style when adjustments are made to her 1930s gangster hat for the inauguration. Although clearly desperate to reinvent herself as the matriarch of a new Camelot, surrounded by the gaudy Versailles tack of her husband’s New York apartments, it all feels much more Jack Sparrow gold teeth than Jackie Kennedy glitz and glamour.
Many scenes bore, as Melania – who narrates throughout at a monotone pitch – spends too much time in service lifts with sycophants and in painfully stiff, orchestrated scenes discussing her all-important work. Brigette Macron and the Queen of Jordan cameo for these before the action heads to Washington for the big day.
Of course, President Donald Trump himself features prominently in scenes that just about begin to humanise his wife, with her backstage YMCA dancing and suggestions for altering his inauguration speech. However, her singing Michael Jackson in the back of a limo is pretty awkward amid a totally humourless and extremely sincere documentary that takes itself far too seriously.
Nevertheless, the redeeming feature of the film is the few behind-the-scenes moments of actual interest. Biden and Harris are captured backstage, hands in pockets, with glum expressions before facing the music of Trump’s swearing-in. Meanwhile, at 2am in the Executive Residence, we see Trump in the side kitchen ordering burgers before the couple says good night to a fawning Ratner off-camera. A good vanity project for the Trumps, but not much for anyone else.
Melania is out now in cinemas.
Source link
