Melania Trump Takes to X to Celebrate 'Melania' Documentary's Record-Breaking Opening Night
In a social media post on Saturday morning, Melania Trump flaunted the impressive early achievements of her new documentary "Melania", which opened in theaters on Friday. According to the First Lady, the film is projecting the best opening in 10 years for a documentary and has received an "A" score from movie pollster CinemaScore.
The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, follows Melania Trump's life in the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration. While audiences have been enamored with the film, critics have taken a more divided approach. The documentary boasts a stunning 99% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, but has a brutal 6% critic score.
Owen Gleiberman, Variety's film critic, was among those who expressed disappointment with "Melania". In his scathing review, he likened the documentary to "a piece of state-sanctioned propaganda out of 1960s Communist China", highlighting its perceived lack of nuance and critical examination. He noted that the filmmaking process itself felt "ritualized" and that the film failed to capture the air of experience.
Despite the mixed reviews from critics, "Melania" is expected to gross significant amounts, with opening day earnings of $2.9 million and projected total revenue of $8.1 million by Sunday. The film's success comes after Amazon MGM spent $40 million to acquire it.
It's worth noting that this marks Brett Ratner's first major directorial effort since the 2017 sexual assault allegations derailed his career, with a reported return to the White House's request for him to direct "Rush Hour 4".
In a social media post on Saturday morning, Melania Trump flaunted the impressive early achievements of her new documentary "Melania", which opened in theaters on Friday. According to the First Lady, the film is projecting the best opening in 10 years for a documentary and has received an "A" score from movie pollster CinemaScore.
The documentary, directed by Brett Ratner, follows Melania Trump's life in the 20 days leading up to Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration. While audiences have been enamored with the film, critics have taken a more divided approach. The documentary boasts a stunning 99% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, but has a brutal 6% critic score.
Owen Gleiberman, Variety's film critic, was among those who expressed disappointment with "Melania". In his scathing review, he likened the documentary to "a piece of state-sanctioned propaganda out of 1960s Communist China", highlighting its perceived lack of nuance and critical examination. He noted that the filmmaking process itself felt "ritualized" and that the film failed to capture the air of experience.
Despite the mixed reviews from critics, "Melania" is expected to gross significant amounts, with opening day earnings of $2.9 million and projected total revenue of $8.1 million by Sunday. The film's success comes after Amazon MGM spent $40 million to acquire it.
It's worth noting that this marks Brett Ratner's first major directorial effort since the 2017 sexual assault allegations derailed his career, with a reported return to the White House's request for him to direct "Rush Hour 4".
I'm literally OBSESSED with Melania Trump right now!! 
That documentary is killing it and breaking all sorts of records!!! 
The fact that it got an A score from CinemaScore is, like, SO on brand for her. She's always been a style icon and a total boss. I don't really care what the critics are saying, btw... 
They're just jealous of how fabulous she is. The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 99%?!? That's like, proof that people love her! 
Can't wait to see more movies from Brett Ratner, especially since he's back in the game after being cleared by the White House 
. Anyway, congrats to Melania and her team for this amazing achievement! 
I don't know if that's entirely fair...I mean, is it really that simplistic? And what does Owen Gleiberman mean by "ritualized" filmmaking process? Like isn't that a bit unfair to Brett Ratner after everything he's been through? 
Anyway, gotta admit the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is pretty impressive 
and I gotta say, it's interesting how the First Lady is celebrating the film's success despite some critics giving it a lukewarm reception. The CinemaScore "A" score is definitely something to brag about 
. It'll be fun to see how the film holds up over time, and whether its commercial success translates to critical acclaim 
.
... a lot of ppl r saying that movie is too scripted & lacks real depth, can't imagine how tough that must be for someone who's already gone thru a scandal and comeback from it 
... anyway, congrats to Melania on the doc's amazing opening night, that's super cool! 
But hey, $2.9 million on opening day isn't bad, and if the audience is eating it up, that's all that matters. The critic scores though, huh? 6% from Rotten Tomatoes is like, a whole different story. Owen Gleiberman's review was pretty scathing, but I guess you can't blame him for speaking truth to power... or in this case, documenting Melania Trump's life. 
Brett Ratner got a second chance at directing after all those allegations, so props to him for taking it 
The fact that Melania Trump's documentary has broken records for its opening night is a testament to the power of storytelling and human connection. 
However, it's also important to acknowledge the harsh criticism from critics like Owen Gleiberman, who dared to speak truth to power. 
Their words may sting, but they serve as a reminder that we must always strive for nuance and critical examination in our pursuit of knowledge and understanding. 
. I mean, Brett Ratner was a genius director before and he's still got it! 
And can we talk about how iconic Melania Trump is? 
The fact that Amazon MGM spent $40 million on this docu shows how much they believe in her brand too 
. Can't wait to see what other cinematic masterpieces he has up his sleeve 
.
, did u see the stats on "Melania" tho? 
The docu is gettin' a major buzz w/ that 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes 
... that's some serious Hollywood magic 
. But, IDK, man... with those critic scores ranging from 6% to a scathing review by Owen Gleiberman 
... it's like, what's the real story here? 
wow! i know some ppl didn't like it but who cares? the first lady's life story is so inspiring and i love how she's using her platform to share her journey with us. 
Plus, can we talk about how amazing it is that Brett Ratner is back in the game after taking a break? 
meanwhile brett ratner is trying to bounce back from his own scandal 
anyway, 2.9 mil in opening day revenue is crazy 
. Still, I guess it's cool that the doc is breaking records and all, but at what cost? It's just another example of how far we've fallen when we prioritize box office numbers over actual substance 
What's next, a Hollywood docu on Putin's sock drawer?