NFL
By: Matt Overton
I will admit, A24’s noisy marketing for The Moment worked on me. Was it going to be a cheeky mockumentary in the vein of This Is Spinal Tap? Or a self-expressionist nightmare from one of the biggest pop idols of our time à la Hurry Up Tomorrow? Luckily, The Moment follows in the hallowed footsteps of Rob Reiner. Not that catastrophe The Weeknd concocted last year. Even if you’re not the biggest Brat, this film offers a lot of potential for a fun theatrical outing.
Charli xcx steps into the once-in-a-lifetime role of Charli xcx. Brat Summer is in full swing, and everyone in her orbit is absolutely salivating. Brat was so much bigger than anyone could have imagined. So, the obvious next step would be to capitalize on it for every penny that it’s worth. There’s a concept film in development, a global tour, and a credit card. Every potential avenue for maximizing cash flow is being explored.
It turns out Charli is very good at playing Charli. I am unaware of any prior acting experience, but the emotional depth she brings to her character is surprising. Her music bolsters the party-like vibe that carries throughout the movie, as does the aggressive, boisterous editing. No matter what direction you view this film from, there is a level of meta-ness to it; look no further than Charli’s own music playing on the soundtrack, or the fact that she is playing a version of herself, or the very events that are unfolding as part of the narrative. As dizzying as all of this turned out to be, it was interesting to get a peek into this lifestyle.
The Moment is very cleverly executed. As the ball started rolling, I expected I had figured out the movie with its layers of meta-commentary and referentiality. But as the scope expands beyond the bag chasing, it starts to do something interesting. As we witness the events of the summer of 2024 unfold in a fictionalized and satirical manner, the film gains a new level of self-reflection. I don’t think Charli made this movie to brag or glamorize her unhealthy lifestyle. Instead, to document what was the biggest moment of her career. I guess, however real or fictionalized all of this is, it will be up to the viewers to decide.
The Moment deploys stardom in a cinematic way that is very intriguing. It did not make me envious of this lifestyle at all, instead it is poking fun at the absurdity of the culture—while successfully exploiting it for every penny. The film almost achieves full self-awareness about the wealth involved in all of this, but it never quite reaches that fully enlightened state. Maybe I am more scarred from Hurry Up Tomorrow than I’d like to admit, but The Moment was better than expected. I didn’t walk out a bigger Charli xcx fan, but I did enjoy a fun mockumentary.
