British electro popstar Charli XCX has enjoyed a steady career of hit songs among a dedicated fan-base, but her recent brat album exploded, catapulting her into worldwide superstardom and recognition.
The album was her most personal to date, a critical hit and resonated among club-going Gen Z-ers, but the “brat summer” attitude she sold with it caught on like wildfire – “brat” was even named word of the year and redefined in the Oxford Dictionary.
How does an artist handle being the catalyst for an overnight cultural impact, remain creative and maintain career momentum and longevity?
The Moment is a hyper, handheld (very brat), fly on the wall mockumentary that picks up as Charli XCX begins preparing for her first arena tour after the album has become a phenomenon. No stranger to touring and performing live, the pressure is now ten-fold with added record label interest and marketing opportunities that could compromise her brat status. Even her friend and creative director Celeste (Hailey Benton Gates) is being usurped by concert film director Johannes (Alexander Skarsgård), who is trying to make the concert more palatable for the masses.
Charli XCX understandably had a very difficult time with it all (The Moment is based on her own concept), which is a fascinating head space to explore as it likely applies to all artists who find overnight success like this. But it is relatable to anyone that has had concerns about their career and longevity, particularly if you are riddled with anxiety and easily fall victim to outside pressures.
The most niche and fascinating aspect of this story that Charli must grapple with is that she potentially inadvertently put a timeline on her own relevance – once the season of brat summer is over, then what? The Moment picks up with Charli spiralling about her career and future, and it successfully puts us in her headspace with flashing images, schedule updates, locations (the warning at the beginning is definitely required) constantly disorienting, distracting and frustrating.
However, all she does throughout the film is spiral. Charli is better equipped to portray this version of herself than anyone else, as this is her own unique experience, but her limitations as an actress are evident, her staccato speech pattern to demonstrate out of her depth awkwardness lacks range and eventually begins to grate. The humour is consistent but relies heavily on the banality of creative discussions to make something meaningful.
In the end, it is all a bit one-note, despite being thoroughly fascinating and entertaining.At least the soundtrack is a knockout.
7.5/10
