
The theater wasn’t very full last night – maybe 40 percent. The audience seemed to be split between supporters of Donald Trump and those who came to criticize the film. This wasn’t unexpected. Melania, the documentary, follows its subject for the 20 days before the 2025 inauguration. It’s not a loud, aggressive pro-Trump film, though it does take a few jabs at the Biden administration with unflattering images of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Instead, it subtly aims to present Melania Trump as a glamorous celebrity. It feels like many other popular celebrity documentaries – like the ones about the Beckhams, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, or Arnold Schwarzenegger – which often function more as promotional material than genuine films. The movie tries to establish Melania as someone so fascinating that viewers will sit through a surprisingly dull and repetitive story of her travels between cars, planes, and meetings.