Brat summer was truly the marker of summer 2024. Lime green, party girl attitude, and Charlie XCX’s music were the soundtrack for months. So when “The Moment” was announced as a mockumentary about the SWEAT tour that changed Charlie XCX’s career, I was immediately gripped by it.
When I sat down to watch the film, I realized something very quickly: this movie is not about Charlie XCX at all, but something much bigger. She is criticizing the treatment of music artists once they hit it big.
I will refrain from spoilers because I truly think it is an interesting piece of criticism; however, if you are not into Charlie XCX’s style of music and concerts, then this movie is not for you.
The movie is filled to the brim with flashing lights, strobes, booming bass, Charlie XCX’s “don’t care” attitude, and renditions of her Brat album conducted by producer A.G. Cook.
What is abundantly clear at the beginning is that this is not a documentary about Brat or tracking how the SWEAT tour went. This movie instead takes a complete turn from its promotional material and plays a trick on its audience, one that I think is done very successfully.
This is where the mockumentary part of the movie comes in. While trying to be as spoiler-free as possible, throughout the movie, it is clear that it is satirizing the genre as a whole.
I normally feel like when artists or even content creators join a movie’s production to become an actor in it or even a lead role, they usually are not fit for the role. I completely disagree when it comes to “The Moment.” Without a familiar face like Charlie XCX’s, who also just had a claim to fame in music, no other artist can compare with her Brat summer, the believability and shock of what “The Moment” expresses.
Everything the movie offers amplifies this switch, which in turn helps the movie and its believability right up until the last 10 minutes.
Throughout, her style shifts with the movie to portray a more authentic feel of what is happening in the moment. What I found the best example of this is when her bump up club vibe music is twisted to make your heart pound with anxiety over what will happen next.
One other thing I believe could throw viewers off, besides the style, is the ending. Though it might seem silly, I’d ask you to take a minute to really soak it in. To me, the movie needed to be as exaggerated as it was at the end to really sell the message.
Overall, it was a wild ride from start to finish; truly an incredible experience and really nothing like I have ever seen, which was refreshing and exciting to see from a music artist.
Where and how long the movie is showing for is a different result with each source, which is why it took me so long to finally see the movie.
“The Moment” is now showing at FilmScene.