Charli XCX: The Moment review — a mockumentary at Sundance

Introduction: Why this film matters

charli xcx the moment review has drawn attention because it reframes the concert film at a moment when festival audiences expect spectacle. Directed by Aidan Zamiri and centred on an exaggerated version of Charli XCX, The Moment premiered as a parting offering to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The film’s approach — mockumentary rather than straightforward concert documentary — makes it relevant to fans of pop, film and media studies who want to see how an artist interrogates fame and the end of an era.

Main body: What the reviews say and what happens in the film

Opening and style

Roger Ebert noted that, for a movie about a seemingly endless feel-good party season, Zamiri chose a different route from traditional concert films. Instead of typical behind-the-scenes snippets, The Moment opens with Charli dancing amid strobe lights that shift green-to-blue-to-red, complete with a flashing light warning — a bold, theatrical beginning that signals the film’s playful self-awareness.

Plot elements and characters

The mockumentary follows an early phase of the Brat tour, with the artist negotiating pressure from multiple sides. The label, headed by Rosanna Arquette, alongside managers and a highly opinionated, patronising director played by Alexander Skarsgård, press Charli to sustain what the film calls “Brat Summer” forever. That conflict forces the protagonist to decide what matters to her and whether to preserve or abandon “the moment.”

Critical response

Critical reaction is mixed but consistent in key respects. One review called Zamiri’s mockumentary a clever but overlong look at the early days of the Brat tour, suggesting the film’s running time and pacing may test some viewers. Another critic described the film as struggling through a somewhat defanged presentation of Brat material, but noted its real strengths lie in quieter sequences. Critics agree Charli is most convincing — and the film most affecting — in moments of vulnerability, when she is caught alone with her feelings.

Conclusion: Significance and likely reception

The Moment presents a deliberate departure from concert-film norms, trading spectacle for a mockumentary lens that interrogates persona, control and an artist’s relationship with her era. Reviews suggest the film will divide audiences: praised for its clever concept and intimate vulnerability, yet criticised for length and occasional undercutting of the Brat energy. For readers and viewers, The Moment is worth attention as a festival piece that doubles as a self-reflexive farewell to an era of Charli XCX’s career.