Melania Trump’s New Documentary Highlights Unforeseen Contrast with Michelle Obama’s Film
The recent documentary about Melania Trump, simply titled melania, has stirred up some controversy, especially in light of the 2020 documentary Become, featuring former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Interesting data from Luminate indicates that viewership for Obama’s film surged on Netflix just before the debut of melania. There was a staggering 13,000% rise in minutes watched through February 1, totaling over 46.5 million minutes, compared to just 345,000 the weekend prior.
This spike in streaming coincided almost perfectly with melania hitting theaters on January 30th.
Michelle Obama’s documentary centers around her 2019 memoir tour. In it, she reflects on her life experiences, the White House, and her journey beyond those walls.
While many opted to stream at home, melania managed to generate impressive box office numbers. Amazon MGM Studios, the film’s producer, reported that it raked in $7 million during its opening weekend.
That’s quite an accomplishment for a documentary, yet it pales in comparison to the $40 million Amazon invested for the film’s rights, plus an additional $35 million reportedly earmarked for marketing.
The documentary unfolds during the final 20 days leading up to President Trump’s re-inauguration, but it faced harsh criticism just before hitting theaters.
Reviews on Letterboxd, a platform where user verifications are not guaranteed, showed disapproval for the film directed by Brett Ratner, who has not directed anything since facing multiple sexual harassment accusations in 2017. The documentary currently holds a low rating of 1.2 stars on the site.
Some reviewers went so far as to label it “fascist propaganda,” with remarks like, “Even showing this on a plane wouldn’t keep people from leaving.”
Despite the evident backlash, some critics continued to express their thoughts post-release. Jesse Hassenger from Decider described the film as “calm and peaceful,” noting the absence of conflict or drama in his critique.
“Fascism prefers preordained victories and fancy costumes,” he remarked, capturing a sense of the overall tone surrounding the film.
