I was surprised at first to see that the "Melania" documentary opens with Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," which we later learn is one of Melania Trump's favorite tunes. "She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene," Jackson croons.
It doesn't quite seem to fit the woman who is known for being reserved and tight-lipped.
But as the documentary progressed, the song choice made more sense. Melania, a former model, has always been gorgeous, elegant, and meticulous about fashion and design. At one point in the documentary, when President Donald Trump greets Melania after a flight, he comments that she is so beautiful, she looks like a movie star.
Such sweet exchanges between the couple are scattered throughout the documentary, which opened to a surprise $8 million opening weekend despite leftist critics smearing the documentary and Melania before it even opened.
I thought that "Melania" might give a sweeping overview of Melania's life, from immigrant to the First Lady of the United States, twice. It does not. It focuses primarily on Melania's life behind the scenes during the January 2025 four-day inaugural celebration. It makes for a good focal point as it leans into Melania's strengths—fashion, interior design, and elegance under pressure. These are all important for planning and executing the many balls, dinners, and events that take place during the inauguration.
I'm used to reading so much negative news about the Trump family, and particularly the president, that it was refreshing to see a portrait of the incredible amount of work that goes into inaugurating a new president. Melania played a significant role, and yet this is not something the public seems to be aware of.
I am not particularly fashion or design-inclined myself, and I appreciated that the documentary didn't mock or belittle Melania's interests or skillset in this area. Whether it's ensuring her inauguration day hat was crisp on top or that the lapel of her inauguration day coat was wide enough for her taste, this is what Melania loves and is good at, and many people in this industry—from New York City to Washington, D.C.—take her seriously. I hope the mainstream media takes note.
Some of the best parts of the documentary for me, a keen observer of politics, were conversations between her and Trump as well as his offhand comments toward the documentary production team. Despite Trump being the focal point of his presidency, especially now, there is very little of the president to be seen. But what we do see is remarkably human. The film really does focus on Melania herself, but occasionally, Trump makes a joke or a sweet remark. When he's told by security that he will share a car ride with President Joe Biden during Inauguration Day, he remarks without missing a beat, "That will be an interesting drive."
It's during that discussion we see any hint of anxiety for Melania, as the couple's safety is discussed. She comments that the last year has been difficult and concerning. This, too, is something I still see constantly brushed off, and I was glad she felt free to speak up. I also chuckled when Trump asked what time they would get home so he could get started making America great again, because he has a lot of work to do to straighten out the country.
The couple's relationship seems easy and relaxed. Though admittedly I can tell we are seeing a curated slice for the camera, Melania seems focused on her tasks as wife, mom, and First Lady—and she isn't all that impressed with the president. When he calls her on election night to ask if she's been watching the results roll in, she casually says she's been busy and will get to it. Audience members where I watched the documentary laughed. If Trump has an ego, she doesn't let him have one with her.
Melania repeatedly mentions being an immigrant throughout the documentary, though she doesn't mention her home country—Slovenia, formerly Yugoslavia—by name. Her journey from immigrant to model to the First Lady—twice—is inspiring. Political ideology notwithstanding, Melania embodies the American dream and an American success story by anyone's standards.
Yet I was continually struck by how this seems to escape Democrats and much of the mainstream media. I kept thinking that if Melania were married to a Democrat, she'd have been on the front of every high-end glossy fashion magazine from here to the UK for years. This documentary would not have been blasted by critics, but embraced and heralded as a long-time coming.
I know this is in part because Michelle Obama received that exact treatment and continues to enjoy public success, despite the fact that her husband's terms ended in 2017 and she has done little but ride his coattails since.
I wasn't blown away by "Melania," and wished the director would have given us a wider look at her life, but I thought it was a neat look behind the scenes at an important time. And even more importantly, I'm glad Hollywood is finally giving Melania the movie star treatment the president—and 77 million Americans think she is worthy of receiving.
