If you were following music and Pop Culture in the summer of 2024, or simply had Social Media, you heard the term Brat Summer. It was the phenomenon birthed from the Brat album from singer Charli XCX. It swept the globe and caught many in the wake of its frenzy.

But how did it feel to be Charli XCX? The new film The Moment is a faux documentary that takes a look at the period following that summer, picking up the action in September of 2024. It follows Charli XCX as she navigates worldwide fame and an upcoming tour.

In the film, her label has decided to keep Brat Summer going forever by commissioning a new tour film for Amazon. The head of the label, Tammy (Rosanna Arquette), has tapped a famous director, Johannes (Alexander Skarsgard) to direct. And he has a vision for what he wants to achieve.

Charli XCX, meanwhile, had a vision for her tour and what it means to be Brat. Her chief creative officer, Celeste (Hailey Benton Gates) has spent time creating the look for the shows. But it’s apparent early on that Celeste’s vision and Johannes’ plan don’t align. That leaves Charli XCX stressed and pushed to the breaking point.

As she prepares for a world tour and deals with all the chaos that comes with being her, Charli XCX has to navigate this divide in vision and decide which concert tour she’s going to share with the world.

This is an interesting spin on stardom and what it takes to navigate the waters of fame. The original idea came from Charli XCX, with the script written by Aidan Zamiri and Bertie Brandes. Zamiri takes the lead as the director here.

There are some visual choices in the way the film is put together that will either work or won’t work. I didn’t love some of the strobing effects and the title bars. But I assume that has something to do with the typical Brat style. As someone who wasn’t part of Brat Summer and the movement, I came into this cold. But I was still able to follow the action and appreciate the journey.

I was on the fence about whether I would enjoy this film, but the longer it went on the more I was drawn to what she was doing. Charli XCX is talented and has a vision for her life, her career, and her image. She’s also something of an incredible performer, really selling the narrative here.

The supporting cast was solid here, too. Skarsgard is clearly having fun in his role. But, for me, the strongest supporting work came from Gates. It’s an inglorious part, but she has a big role in the final act of the film. That made it work well for me, and provided some of the most emotional moments in the film.

Overall, whether you are a novice or a Brat Summer devotee, there is something captivating about The Moment. It’s worth checking out to enjoy the ride and a peek behind the curtain.

The Moment is now playing nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.