A new documentary about Melania Trump, directed by Brett Ratner and backed by Amazon, has been met with overwhelmingly negative reviews. The film, which previewed at the White House last weekend with guests including Mike Tyson and Queen Rania of Jordan, follows the former first lady as she prepares for her husband's second presidential inauguration.
The documentary focuses heavily on Melania's involvement in the inauguration's fashion and decor, from a white blouse needing adjustment to the colour scheme for the starlight ball. Critics have described her on-screen presence as robotic and unrevealing, with a tone that is both deadly and dispiriting.
Donald Trump appears only intermittently, bragging about his election win and complaining that the inauguration clashed with college football playoffs. The film includes scenes of Melania discussing her love for Michael Jackson and her son Barron, while her husband's political activities remain largely in the background.
Reviewers have compared the documentary unfavourably to art-house films, calling it a 'gilded trash remake' that lacks any redeeming qualities. Despite the euphoric ending at the starlight ball, the two-hour runtime has been described as 'pure, endless hell'.
