‘The Moment’ review: Charli XCX mock‑doc probes fame and authenticity

"The Moment," a feature-length music mock-doc directed by Aidan Zamiri and written with Bertie Brandes, follows Charli XCX in the wake of her hit album Brat; the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is reviewed in The New York Times on Jan. 29, 2026. The movie is rated R and runs 1 hour 43 minutes and is in theaters.

The film revisits the aftermath of Brat, released in June 2024, which the review says transformed Charli XCX into an ubiquitous cultural presence. The review notes that the musician then said Kamala Harris "IS brat" the following month and later told New York Magazine that her music is not political.

Presented as a lightly parodic mock-doc, the movie tracks Charli (or a recognizable facsimile of her) as a documentary crew records her upcoming arena concert while minders, collaborators and music executives try to keep the Brat momentum going. Some cast members play versions of themselves, including Kylie Jenner and Julia Fox, while Rosanna Arquette, Jamie Demetriou and Hailey Benton Gates handle much of the heavier acting; Alexander Skarsgård appears as an insufferable filmmaker.

The film leans into questions of autonomy, integrity and authenticity and tests the divide between public and private selves.

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