On Jan. 30, a documentary aired about First Lady Melania Trump’s life in the days prior to the 2026 inauguration. In the 20 days leading up to the inauguration, she goes through the preparations for navigating a historic return to the White House. While becoming First Lady for the second time seems like a thrilling event, she somehow manages to make it the most boring day-in-the-life vlog possible.
Amazon MGM Studios, funded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, paid $40 million for the rights to the documentary and spent an additional $35 million to promote it. The funding generated controversy around the relationship between Amazon and the Trump administration.
The documentary opens with glamorous views of her Mar-A-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. Immediately, the viewer understands that she is living a luxurious and upscale life. The crew on her private jet greets her with a smile, but it all goes downhill from there.
The first noticeable issue is that her narration was irritating and soporific. Every line sounded like it was written by ChatGPT. At one point, she notes that Mar-A-Lago feels like “warmth, sunshine, family and friends.” The script felt generic and monotonous because of its predictable structure.
The story of the documentary was confusing and lackluster. With each passing moment, I became more confused as to what the plot of the documentary was, or if there truly was a plot at all.
At a certain point in the documentary, Melenia discusses her son Barron Trump and his nerves in regards to public appearances. She is seen addressing the camera and stating, “I respect that. It’s his decision.” This conversation occurs at a table surrounded by staff advisers, Trump, and of course, cameras. The way this quote was delivered felt extremely scripted and noticeably rehearsed, and it is then followed by a brief look around the room almost as if seeking confirmation of her deliverance.
Throughout the film, she experienced no time-crunch and no cancellations or conflicts at all. She was simply waltzing from room to room discussing the details of her inauguration outfit. At one point, she discusses the passing of President Jimmy Carter on the anniversary of her mother’s death. This emotional connection was almost effective but it was not touching because on screen, her face was expressionless and her voice did not waver whatsoever.
The entire documentary simply had no purpose or conflict-resolution. She discussed how important her role as a mother is, yet there was very little familial interaction. President Donald Trump speaks here and there, and Barron Trump is seen briefly, although he remains mostly out of the picture.
Despite the constant boredom, the best thing about this documentary was the soundtrack. With hits like “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones and “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, there were moments where the documentary felt slightly more lively. Unfortunately, besides the music, the film felt extremely dull.
At the conclusion of the documentary, the writers exhibit a curated summary of all of Melania’s accomplishments as First Lady of the United States, including highlighting her assistance in the release of Keith Siegel, an American Israeli who was held hostage in Gaza for 484 days, and her help in combating “cyberbullying” and foster care. While this is expected, it felt overly contrived and robotic.
While this documentary was full of glitz and glam, there was no actual timeline of events or nerve-wracking issues. It simply felt like a camera panning as she switched from adjusting her hat to fixing her blouse. As each minute passed, it makes one think, “What’s the point?”
