We watched ‘Melania’ to figure out who this is for
Now in theaters and coming soon to Amazon Prime, the Melania Trump ‘doc,’ somewhat appropriately named “Melania,” is shaping up to be Amazon MGM Studio’s biggest bomb (spending $40 million to secure rights and another $35 million on promotion doesn’t make much sense, if you’re only looking at this thing as a dollars and cents investment). Nor is it a critical darling (it has an 8 percent Rotten Tomatoes score).
But it’s also one of the most successful documentaries with a theatrical run, depending on how you judge money spent vs. money earned. Or political favor.
Of course, a film about the first lady released one year into their second run with that title would be divisive. But did anyone go to the movies this weekend to watch this thing objectively?
I paid money to watch this thing objectively.
First things first. “Melania” is not a documentary in the strictest sense. The subject doesn’t consider it a documentary, but rather, “a deliberate act of authorship.”
It’s not-not a documentary, but if you’re looking for an objective look about a subject, you’re in the wrong place. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s still lots to learn from a documentary-style presentation that’s been approved by its subject.
One of the most captivating docs of the decade is “The Last Dance,” a commercial and critical success about the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls. This ESPN/Netflix production wouldn’t exist without the cooperation of both the NBA and Michael Jordan. However you want to classify that film/documentary........
