For almost 20 years, Charli XCX has made some of the best pop music of the 21st century, yet she’s the opposite of an overnight success. Despite reaching critical acclaim with her music and the occasional song that became a hit, it took a while for Charli to become a massive pop sensation she is today. But that merging of commercial and critical appreciation finally occurred with 2024’s “brat,” an electropop modern masterpiece that managed to not only recreate the hyper-brash sound of the rave music scene that Charli got her start in, but also showed Charli at her most vulnerable and open about her fears, anxieties, and uncertainty about fame.
A year and a half after its release, “brat” continues to be a powerhouse of an album, which has received a remix album, three Grammys, and a worldwide tour. But after years of aiming for this level of success, how does an artist know when it’s time to move on to something else, to try something new that isn’t the thing that made them a gigantic star in the first place? While The Moment, directed by Aidan Zamiri (who also helmed Charli’s “360” video) is addressing the question of when something should be let go, it’s also an opportunity for Charli XCX to say goodbye to the “brat” period of her career with a “what if?” mockumentary that also proves maybe Charli’s next phase should be on the silver screen.
What Is ‘The Moment’ About?
The Moment takes us to September 2024, three months after the release of “brat,” presenting an alternate history for what could’ve happened in the wake of the album’s release. Although it is a fictionalized retelling, it also feels like it could be based on decisions Charli and her team could’ve had to face in the wake of the album’s success. Atlantic Records wants to make sure that “brat” fever keeps going for as long as it can, and with Charli preparing for her tour in just a few weeks, it’s a great opportunity to capitalize on the brat summer sensation.
For one, the record label has signed a deal to make a brat credit card, which is lime green, gives its owner concert tickets, and is exclusively aimed towards her queer fans. An equally bad idea, however, is the idea of a concert film, made in conjunction with Amazon Music and helmed by a questionable concert director, Johannes (Alexander Skarsgård). Johannes finds the harsh imagery and club vibe of the brat tour to be difficult to film, which puts him at odds with Charli’s friend and brat tour creative director, Celeste (Hailey Benton Gates).
As the momentum of brat continues to increase and the tour is being creatively pulled in two opposite directions, the weight of this new level of fame is suffocating Charli. As she says in the film, she made “brat” on her own terms, and no one cared at the time, but now, everyone wants to give their input on what’s next. In addition to the exhaustion and the irritation of her losing control, she also has to decide whether she wants to honor her and Celeste’s artistic vision for the tour, or allow Atlantic to do what they want to keep the brat train moving.
Charli XCX Proves She’s a Movie Star in ‘The Moment’
At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Charli XCX is not only starring in The Moment, but she also has a supporting role in both Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex and Cathy Yan‘s The Gallerist. With The Moment, however, Charli gets to be in the spotlight, and she’s wonderful here, even if she is playing a different version of herself. Especially in the more frantic, anxiety-inducing moments of the film, like when she goes to get a highly sought-after facial treatment or is torn between the will of Johannes and Celeste, Charli sells these moments quite wonderfully. At the premiere Q&A, Zamiri mentioned that Darren Aronofsky‘s Black Swan was a major influence on the film, and it makes sense that the best parts of The Moment are tied to a similar frenetic energy centered around Charli. It will be interesting to see if Charli is able to handle a major role that isn’t based on her life in the future, but The Moment certainly shows that she has the chops.
Also excellent here is Skarsgård, who really leans into what is by and large a fairly goofy role. Skargård becomes the antagonist of The Moment, and his righteous indignation at people not accepting his ideas is both annoying and hilarious. Gates, who is essentially Charli’s right-hand in her career, gives a standout performance, facing off against Skarsgård’s Johannes while trying to keep the integrity of Charli’s career. Gates’ Celeste almost becomes the second lead of the film, and she’s a fantastic partner-in-crime for Charli.
The rest of the cast, unfortunately, mostly falls into one-note clichés or quick cameos that strangely have a major impact on the story going forward. Jamie Demetriou is solid as Charli’s assistant, Tim, but he’s playing the type of yes man that we’ve seen in movies like this before. Rachel Sennott plays herself in one quick scene, and while it’s fun, it doesn’t add up to much. Another cameo by Kylie Jenner oddly comes out of nowhere, then has major implications on the rest of the film for no real discernible reason.
‘The Moment’ Is Scattered but Still Entertaining and a Great Send-Off for “Brat”
This is emblematic of The Moment‘s biggest problems: everything feels fine and fun, but often scattered and not willing to go too far with its concept. In the end, we get a glimpse of how wild this story could’ve gone if it fully embraced going off the rails in wild ways, and it’s a shame the film doesn’t lean into this further. This isn’t so much Charli XCX’s own version of This Is Spinal Tap, but rather, an occasionally clever rockumentary that rarely goes all-in with the absurdity or playfulness of its concept. This leads to stretches of downtime that don’t quite go anywhere, and scenes that don’t really have a purpose, especially near the end.
It’s as though Zamiri and co-writer Bertie Brandes know how much fun the film could have by leaning further into the extremes, but rarely embrace that. A little more full-throated absurdity and humor would’ve been a great step for the film to take. Ultimately, The Moment is a delightful spotlight for Charli XCX as an actor, and the concept itself finds some playful ways to expand on the lore of of her massively successful album. “brat” is dead. Love live “brat.”
The Moment premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. The Moment comes to theaters on January 30.
- Release Date
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January 30, 2026
- Runtime
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103 minutes
- Director
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Aidan Zamiri
- Writers
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Charli XCX, Aidan Zamiri, Bertie Brandes
- Producers
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David Hinojosa, Charli XCX
Pros & Cons
- Charli XCX really sells her first lead role, especially when it leans into the craziness.
- Alexander Skarsgård and Hailey Benton Gates are great in supporting roles.
- The ending is a hilarious note for Charli to end brat on.
- The Moment feels too scattered and full of scenes that don’t serve a purpose.
- It’s a shame that The Moment doesn’t embrace its absurdity more than it does.
