4 minutes of readingNew DelhiUpdated: January 30, 2026 02:23 pm IST
Documentary films are supposed to act as a mirror to society: an honest, uncensored account of reality. However, some realities are less interesting to people and, in some cases, These stories face harsh criticism. That’s exactly what is happening with the documentary Melania, which is based on the life of the first lady of the United States, Melania Trump. The film already had a target on its back due to director Brett Ratner’s involvement, and is now receiving poor reviews.
What is Melania about?
The synopsis for Melania on Amazon MGM Studio reads: “Step into the world of Melania Trump as she organizes inauguration plans, navigates the complexities of the transition to the White House, and moves her family back to the nation’s capital. It will feature “exclusive footage that captures critical meetings, private conversations, and never-before-seen environments.”
Melania premieres with bad reviews
Ahead of its January 29 release date, Melania premiered at the Kennedy Center in the United States. The event was attended by Trump’s closest confidants and other celebrities such as Dr. Phil, Nicki Minaj and Ratner himself. The reviews soon began to come in and, right off the bat, it was all bad news. Letterboxd users flooded the platform with bad reviews, with most pointing out that there was absolutely no need to do so.
One user wrote: “Death of cinema and death of American democracy,” while another said: “No one asked for this burning piece of trash.” It seems the Trump administration expected this, because according to a report from Variety, most major media outlets were banned from attending the premiere. An To add to the fire, The Guardian reported that Melania had It sold only one ticket during a screening at London’s Islington Cinema.
The marketing debacle
Amazon MGM Studios will release the documentary in 1,500 theaters in the United States, after acquiring the rights for an estimated $40 million. According to The Guardian and The New York Times, Amazon has also spent $35 million on the film’s marketing alone.
Another reason why people don’t go see the movie is the director himself. Brett Ratner was a big name in the business, but he was brought down by the industry after being accused of sexual assault. According to People, no charges were filed and Ratner still does not accept the accusations, but Hollywood decided to distance itself from him. Many reports also suggested that In fact, Trump was using his connections at Paramount to get Rush Hour 4 made.with Ratner returning as director. Additionally, Ratner also appeared in the recently released Epstein Files.
Down and out
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With horrible reviews, non-existent sales and the polarizing image of donald trump and Brett Ratner attached, it looks like Melania is in for a lot of box office trouble. Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon talked about the film and its premiere, saying, “The only red carpet where the paparazzi took selfies.” Jimmy Kimmel also talked about the movie during his show, saying, “Melania Trump got a movie deal and Amazon paid her $28 million. It’s all so deeply corrupt and so absurd.”