Melania Trump Documentary Sets Unprecedented Rotten Tomatoes Record
The newly released documentary focusing on former First Lady Melania Trump has achieved a remarkable and record-breaking distinction on the popular review aggregation site, Rotten Tomatoes. The film, titled simply Melania, has secured the largest gap between critical reception and audience approval ratings witnessed on the platform in over a quarter of a century.
A Stark Critical and Public Divide
Since its theatrical debut last Friday, the documentary has been met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from professional film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently holds a critically dismal score of just 10 percent. This stands in stark contrast to the audience rating, which sits at an astonishingly high 99 percent, creating a chasm of 89 percentage points.
In his review for The Independent, critic Nick Hilton awarded the film a single star, questioning its very nature. "Perhaps Melania is merely a piece of post-modern post-entertainment," he wrote. "After all, it is transparently not a documentary." Hilton further criticised the film's construction, suggesting it occupies a space between reality television and pure fiction, with deliberately staged scenes.
Audience Appreciation and Box Office Performance
Despite the critical panning, public reception has been fervently positive. Viewers on Rotten Tomatoes have praised the film for offering an intimate perspective. One user commented on the "very private look at the work put in before inauguration," highlighting Melania Trump's commitment to charitable causes. Another five-star review enthusiastically recommended the film to all, calling it "inspiring whether you are male, female, left or right!!"
This polarising reception follows the revelation of the documentary's box office figures from its opening weekend. Melania surpassed initial predictions on its first day, grossing $2.9 million from 1,778 theatres. Industry analysts had projected an opening weekend total between $1 million and $5 million, but trade publication Variety reports the film is now on course to earn approximately $8.1 million.
Historical Context and Financial Realities
While the gap is record-setting for Rotten Tomatoes, other films have historically seen significant divides. Examples include the Transformers franchise, which scored 57 percent with critics against an 85 percent audience rating, and the 1999 film The Chosen, which critics rated at 26 percent while audiences gave it 91 percent.
Financially, despite outperforming expectations, the documentary faces a steep climb to profitability. Amazon MGM reportedly paid $40 million for the rights to the film and spent an additional $35 million on marketing, creating a total investment of around $75 million. Recouping this sum from box office and future streaming remains a significant challenge.
At the film's premiere at the Kennedy Center, former President Donald Trump addressed concerns about ticket sales, noting the difficult post-pandemic landscape for theatrical releases. He expressed confidence in the film's performance through streaming platforms. Melania is scheduled to become available for streaming on Prime Video at a later date.
