Charli XCX’s The Moment: smart mock-doc about fame, light on laughs

The Moment is a mockumentary directed by Aidan Zamiri and based on an idea from Charli XCX, set during the weeks before her 2024 Brat Tour; MovieWeb critic Corey Atad notes the film opens as a satirical look at sudden stardom and is listed with a January 30, 2026 release date and a 103-minute runtime.

The film frames Charli, playing a version of herself, as she confronts the pressures of a corporatized machine that rewards spectacle and exploits fandom. Atad says the movie asks whether the Brat era can or should continue, and locates the core problem in Charli’s own paralysis and tendency to pass decisions to her team.

Despite big ideas and moments of honesty, Atad argues The Moment is often light on laughs. He compares its premise to This Is Spinal Tap and I’m Still Here, and says its comedy most closely resembles Armando Iannucci’s The Thick of It and Veep when focus falls on Charli’s beleaguered staff — but the film’s gravity blunts its satirical edge.

Casting is a strength: comedians like Kate Berlant and Jamie Demetriou and actors including Rosanna Arquette appear, with cameos from Rachel Sennott, Kylie Jenner and Julia Fox. Alexander Skarsgård is singled out for comic effect, and Hailey Benton Gates’s Celeste provides the emotional fulcrum as Charli grows increasingly detached.

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