Melania : Film review
The Melania film, about the First Lady of the USA, has just had the biggest opening weekend of any documentary in the past 19 years.
Review
It’s sad that even film reviews, now, have to be an instrument of political bias and division. How else to explain the uniformly negative reviews of Melania, in the mainstream media?
It’s hard to believe that not one of these MSM critics saw the value of a fascinating glimpse into the schedule of the First Lady of the most powerful nation on earth. Or the unprecedented access to behind the scenes preparations for the inauguration of a President. (The film covers the period of the 20 days leading up to the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January 2025, his second term in office).
The MSM does its audiences a great disservice with this constant and relentless sneering at those who vote differently to them, not least, because the loss is always theirs. No MSM fashion magazine has put Melania, an actual former model, on its cover but social media is awash with content creators getting millions of views for rating her outfits and looks and making money in the process.
When she first became Flotus in 2016, American designers such as Tom Ford were extremely rude about her and said they wouldn’t dress her. So, she went to the European designers, the Italian and French power houses. They saw the business opportunities of having their designs regularly seen on a global stage and created beautiful outfits for her. This time round more and more American designers have finally realised it’s smarter to work with her.
By the end of the Trump Presidency, she will, probably, have scored other similar wins.
What exactly are the criticisms of the film, other than that it’s about the wife of Donald Trump?
That it’s not substantial and worthy enough? Film is entertainment. It doesn’t always have to be preachy. There is plenty of content in this one about the campaigns of the First Lady. Her “Be Best” initiative focusing on child well-being, social media safety, and opioid abuse, which supports programmes like Fostering the Future. She is seen meeting and supporting the wife of an Israeli hostage. Her narration of the film can be cloying at times but it’s full of appreciation for the history of the country she has adopted as her own.
I’ve written and read about movies long enough to know that the same critics who have given this film one star reviews have, over the years, hyped up absolute, self indulgent dross which wasn’t half as interesting as this.
That the film is glossy? Yes, unapologetically so. Melania Trump is beautiful, stylish, does everything in the highest heels and loves fashion. Why wouldn’t the filmmakers put that on display?
So, the opening shots are of those high heels clicking imperiously across the floors of Mar-a Lago, her husband’s palatial and colourful beachfront home in Florida. There’s something quite regal about Melania as she steps into sleek cars with darkened windows and on to helicopters and private jets on her travels from Florida to Trump Tower in New York and on to the White House in DC. Her mane of honey blonde highlights swishes purposefully as she moves from meeting to meeting, surrounded by watchful security. It’s very Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada stuff and you can’t help feeling it’s very intentional. The clear message is, that for all her elegance and very white teethed smiles, this is a woman who knows what she wants and is not to be messed with.
Never is this more obvious than in her consultations with the designers making her inauguration outfits.
We see Melania giving meticulous instructions on the look she wants for the formal swearing in ceremony. From the cut of the neck line of her blouse to how and where the dark navy, silk wool coat should taper in, she is a woman on a mission.
At first sight, her stern look, with the wide brimmed that partially hid her face seemed harsh compared to the softer powder blue ensemble she wore to the first inauguration in 2016. However, when you see the preparations for it, it becomes clear that this time round, Melania Trump was dressing to send a message. She was not just going to be decorative. The outfit spelt business. It was both armour and poker, signalling a new era. Like Arnie she was back and she was going to do things her way.
By contrast, her, strapless white gown for the Inauguration balls with the two bands of black silk gazar, was pure elegance and glamour.
It’s branding. It’s power dressing. It’s aspirational. It’s the plot of every female empowerment blockbuster from the 80s and 90s; small town girl uses her beauty and wits to rise above the humiliations and take control, while looking a million dollars. Understand that, and you will understand why so many women are going to see the movie, despite the poor reviews. I predict Melania will be an even bigger guilty watch when it moves from cinemas to streaming services.
Melania credits her late mother, Amalija Knavs, for her appreciation for great design and the perfection required to create timeless pieces. That she was still mourning her mother, during filming, is evident. She mentions her often and there is clear emotion in her face during the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter which was held on the first anniversary of Mrs Knav’s death. Later that evening, Melania’s visit to the church where her mother worshipped, makes for a moving scene. Her father, Viktor, is a prominent presence in her life too.
These are the softer aspects of the First Lady and you wish there were more such moments, because, even by the end of the film, she remains largely unknowable. That, in itself, is not a bad thing for a public figure. It adds a mystique to the person which is welcome in an era of over sharing. But it’s good to see the aloofness slip occasionally, even if only for a brief second.
The moments when the smile reaches her eyes or she laughs are nicely captured, such as when she speaks of her favourite music artist, Michael Jackson and sings along to Billie Jean, in the car.
Similarly, her moments with her husband are surprisingly touching. They’ve been together 28 years and while their public displays of affection seem clumsy, they come across as more of a team in the quieter moments than the formal settings show.
In one scene, when the couple are discussing the inauguration parade route, Melania asks if they’re expected to get out of the car. “Barron won’t do it,” she says firmly, of their 19 year old son. And you are reminded that the man next to her was the target of an assassination attempt during his campaign, that this is a family that has been maligned and threatened relentlessly for two decades.
In such moments, in the film, Melania and Donald, and the older children are humanised. Perhaps, that is what the the MSM didn’t want.
Go see the film, decide for yourself what do you think. Ignore the reviews, including this one.
