“The Moment” follows a rising pop star who navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.
Fame at Full Volume
While “The Moment” follows Charli xcx, this is not a documentary. Rather, the singer plays a fictionalized version of herself in a mockumentary approach. It’s an extremely meta experience that has real concert footage blended with staged behind-the-scenes moments. For fans of the artist, it’s likely a fever dream. For everyone else, however… it’s actually still surprisingly entertaining.
This is largely because of how much style it possesses. Color is important to the film — not only through the overly saturated look, but also the neon flashing graphic titles that are sprinkled throughout. Co-writer and director Aidan Zamiri gives “The Moment” a clear identity: frantic. Director of photography Sean Price Williams, alongside editors Neal Farmer and Billy Sneddon, keep it constantly moving. Handheld camerawork follows every movement, with close-ups emphasizing the characters’ emotional states. Constant cutting can sometimes distract from the “fly-on-the-wall” approach, but it also keeps the movie riveting. There’s not “a moment” in “The Moment” where your eyes will rest. It’s a visually striking experience from the opening frame until the last.
Style Overdrive
The score is a part of this style as well. A. G. Cook’s first-ever feature film score is loud, and it’s injected into the movie’s identity right from the start. During the fast-paced moments, it features electronic renditions that mimic a dance club. When “The Moment” does slow down, there are more subdued instrumentals that help act as a “pause” on the insanity.
It’s really the performance of Charli xcx that ties it all together, however. She conveys many feelings physically, showing exhaustion and frustration through facial expressions. On top of this, the dialogue is natural. Through this, she helps to provide a glimpse into her real-life experiences — feeling like an authentic portrayal in the process.
There are a number of other familiar faces in “The Moment.”. Rachel Sennott, Alexander Skarsgård (Johannes), Kylie Jenner, Kate Berlant (Molly) and others also appear.
Commercial Chaos
“The Moment” delivers a similar experience to 2025’s “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” While the film about Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) came across as pretentious, this one doesn’t because it’s not just an endless string of music videos. Rather than only serving as a platter to show off Charli xcx’s work, it captures a moment in time in a satirical way.
“I don’t care if Charli f—ed the Unabomber, you’re under a f—ing contract.”
And it’s very funny. The biggest subplot of the movie revolves around a “Brat” credit card — specifically targeted toward her gay fans. This is an inherently hilarious concept (which sadly isn’t that far-fetched). With additional absurd advertisements and cameos, “The Moment” delivers plenty of laughs.
Because “The Moment” is a movie about commercialization — of everything. She may be an artist, but there are plenty of moving pieces around the music itself. Whether attempting to appease fans or executives, people want to sell, sell, sell. And at the end of it all, it proves to be a reflection on the real-life marketing of “Brat” itself. The album was a viral sensation, mostly because of the “messy” campaign around it. The movie shows an alternative “dark” path that it could have gone.
Fans pour their hearts and souls into artists. In reality, there’s usually a whole boardroom of personalities that dictates how their creativity is handled. Merch drops. Exclusive vinyl releases. Song remixes. It’s all a way to generate profit. While the audience typically can’t see the ins and outs behind this, “The Moment” gives them a chance to.
If you’re not a fan of this specific artist, you’ll likely enjoy “The Moment” less — but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a watch.
After the gags are done, the film does offer reflection. It gives viewers the opportunity to view stardom through a different lens, which is both pretentious and genuine. On one hand, “The Moment” itself is an amalgamation of its critiques; a movie that is another way to commercialize the “Brat” album. It’s also a vessel for an artist to look back at an “era” of their life. It’s unique in this way.
This is a niche experience for super-fans of Charli xcx. However, casual viewers may just find themselves growing fond of the artist because of all the style, energy and confidence that “The Moment” has to offer.
Rating: 4 out of 5
