New Afghan Government Policies Announced

Brett Ratner’s “Melania” Documentary Falls Flat as Shallow Propaganda

Brett Ratner’s documentary “Melania” offers an unprecedented glimpse into the life of former First Lady Melania Trump during the 20 days leading to Donald Trump’s second inauguration. However, what could have been an insightful exploration of one of America’s most enigmatic first ladies instead unravels as a superficial vanity project devoid of substance or genuine humanity.

The film’s approach to significant events reveals its troubling priorities. In one particularly telling segment, President Jimmy Carter’s funeral is reduced to a mere backdrop for Melania’s personal reflections on her deceased mother. The historical and cultural significance of a presidential funeral becomes secondary to stylized shots of the First Lady lighting a candle, complete with a perfectly timed “Amazing Grace” soundtrack that transforms genuine grief into performative spectacle.

Ratner, whose directorial career has been marked by mediocrity even before sexual misconduct allegations derailed his Hollywood trajectory, demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of documentary filmmaking. Given remarkable access to the inner workings of the White House and the First Lady’s daily life, he squanders the opportunity with trivial inquiries. When finally posing a personal question to Melania, he asks about her favorite recording artist—she answers Michael Jackson—leading to an awkward impromptu duet of “Billie Jean” that feels more like celebrity karaoke than serious documentary work.

Perhaps most revealing is the film’s portrayal of the relationship between the First Lady and President Trump. Despite unprecedented access to the couple, Ratner fails to capture a single meaningful interaction that suggests genuine connection or mutual interest. Their first on-screen communication involves a phone call about election results that Melania admits she didn’t watch, followed by her expressionless reaction to his enthusiastic monologue before she abruptly ends the call. What should serve as promotional material inadvertently reveals a stark emotional distance between the couple.

The documentary suffers further from Melania’s apparent control over the production. She provides her own narration, offering insights into her thoughts and feelings—necessary context given her typically reserved public demeanor. However, her monotone delivery lacks the emotional resonance needed to create connection with viewers. The limited interview subjects—primarily fashion designers and interior decorators—further reveal the documentary’s superficial priorities.

Instead of exploring Melania’s policy initiatives or diplomatic work in depth, Ratner fixates on the aesthetics of her role: inaugural dresses, White House décor, and particularly her footwear. The film’s narrative arc culminates not with policy achievements but with Melania finally removing her high heels at 2 a.m. on Inauguration Day—a moment that reportedly prompted audible sighs of relief from the audience, suggesting the film’s struggle to maintain viewer interest through more substantive content.

The documentary concludes with a series of chyrons claiming Melania Trump revolutionized the role of First Lady through activities like meeting natural disaster victims—standard duties performed by virtually all modern first ladies. This self-congratulatory finale, followed by a glamorous White House photo shoot, underscores the film’s priorities: image over substance, style over humanity.

In its entirety, “Melania” emerges as less a documentary and more a vanity project that inadvertently reveals its subject’s detachment from both public service and personal relationships. Ratner’s film presents the White House as merely an elegant backdrop for fashion shoots rather than the center of American governance during a deeply divisive era. For a documentary with unprecedented access, “Melania” ultimately reveals very little beyond its own shallow preoccupations with image and celebrity.

The film stands as a missed opportunity to genuinely understand one of the more private and enigmatic first ladies in modern American history, instead reinforcing perceptions of superficiality that have dogged the Trump administration throughout its controversial tenure in Washington.