Donald Trump has enthusiastically proclaimed his wife, Melania Trump, a "movie star" following the theatrical release of her new documentary over the weekend. The former president, speaking from the Resolute Desk, asserted that the film represents a "tremendous success" for the First Lady, despite it receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews from professional critics.
Box Office Performance Versus Critical Reception
The documentary, titled Melania: 20 Days to History, reportedly earned approximately $7 million during its opening weekend, according to BBC estimates. This figure surpassed initial box office predictions, which had anticipated a gross of around $5 million. Trump highlighted this performance, claiming it is "the number one documentary in 19 years," though specific metrics for this claim remain unclear. Independent reports, such as from The Guardian, indicate it recorded the strongest documentary opening in a decade.
A Stark Divide in Opinions
However, the film's commercial performance starkly contrasts with its critical reception. On the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, Melania: 20 Days to History holds an average critic score of just 5 percent. Conversely, the audience score stands at an astonishing 99 percent, a disparity noted as the largest gap between the two ratings in 27 years. This chasm is attributed to the film's page being inundated with pro-MAGA reviews from supporters.
Melania Trump herself appears to share her husband's positive outlook. She took to the social media platform X to declare the film was "Loved By All," directly contradicting the poor critical consensus. The documentary, directed by filmmaker Brett Ratner, offers an intimate glimpse into Melania's life as she prepared for her husband's potential second presidential term. It features moments such as her listening to Michael Jackson's Billy Jean and a brief interaction with French First Lady Brigitte Macron.
Production Costs and Controversial Director
The production and promotion of the documentary came with a substantial financial outlay. Reports from MS Now indicate the film cost $45 million to produce, with an additional $35 million allocated for marketing, totalling $80 million. Director Brett Ratner, known for films like Rush Hour and X-Men: The Last Stand, brings a controversial background to the project. In 2017, he faced multiple allegations of sexual assault from actresses and models, leading Warner Bros to sever ties with him. Ratner has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Trump, reflecting on the documentary's impact, remarked, "What do I get out of it? Nothing out of it. Now I have...so I had a top model, now I have a top movie star." This statement underscores his view of Melania's transition from modelling to what he perceives as cinematic stardom, despite the film's mixed reception and the significant investment behind it.
