Critics Pan It, Audiences Love It: Melania Scores 99% With Moviegoers

Melania Trump is having a big opening weekend — and she wants everyone to know it.

The First Lady took to X on Saturday morning to celebrate the early success of her new documentary, “Melania,” which opened in theaters on Friday. According to her post, the film is on track for the best documentary opening in the past 10 years (not counting concert films) and scored an impressive “A” from CinemaScore, which polls opening-night audiences.

That’s no small feat for a political documentary — and the numbers back it up.

Audiences love it, critics… not so much

Here’s where things get interesting. While moviegoers are clearly on board, critics are far less enthusiastic. The film currently sits at a rough 6% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences tell a totally different story, giving it a near-perfect 99% audience rating.

In other words: critics panned it, fans packed the theaters.

The strongest turnout is coming from cities like Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Houston, and Atlanta, suggesting the film has found its core audience — and they’re showing up in force.

Big box office momentum

Directed by Brett Ratner, Melania follows Melania Trump during the intense 20 days leading up to Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration.

The documentary pulled in $2.9 million on its opening day alone and is expected to hit $8.1 million by Sunday — a major jump from early projections that estimated a $3 million to $5 million weekend. The film was acquired by Amazon MGM Studios for a reported $40 million, signaling serious confidence in its commercial potential.

A comeback moment for the director

The film also marks a major return for Ratner, whose career was derailed by sexual assault allegations in 2017. Melania is his first high-profile directing project since then — and it won’t be his last. He’s already lined up to direct Rush Hour 4 for Paramount.

Love it or hate it, people are watching

Between the eye-popping audience scores, strong box office numbers, and the polarizing critical response, Melania is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about documentaries in years.

Whether viewers see it as a revealing political portrait or a lightning rod for debate, one thing is clear: this documentary has people paying attention — and buying tickets.