Charli XCX's meta-mockumentary 'The Moment' delves into the intense pressures faced by artists post-breakthrough, portraying a fictionalized Charli struggling with artistic compromise after the massive success of her 'Brat' album. The film is described as a visually hypnotic but ultimately shallow look at the dark side of celebrity.
Pop singer Charli XCX, reflecting on the immense success of her 'Brat' album, expressed ambivalence about moving on, pondering the 'tension of staying too long' in the spotlight. This sentiment underpins 'The Moment,' her new meta-mockumentary that explores a counter-factual scenario where Charli succumbs to industry pressure following 'Brat summer.' Billed as a mockumentary but leaning into a 'borderline horror film' aesthetic, 'The Moment' depicts a more volatile and insecure version of Charli navigating a world of demeaning promotions and exploitative music industry figures, including a tyrannical record label boss and a cartoonishly self-important director, Johannes Godwin (Alexander Skarsgård), pushing a commercialized vision for her Amazon concert film. While visually stunning with its over-saturated palette and dynamic cinematography, the film is critiqued as being uncharacteristically inert and shallow, despite its smart concepts and talented cast including Rachel Sennott and Kylie Jenner. The review suggests the satire is 'defanged' and the thematic sprawl muddled, with Charli's performance often feeling mechanical. Ultimately, 'The Moment' raises profound questions about maintaining humanity and artistic integrity amidst the demands of fame, but is content to merely ask them without offering deeper exploration.
