Charli xcx film The Moment's first reviews are in – and surprising early Rotten Tomatoes score revealed
Critics have branded the film "muddled" and "misguided".
The first reviews are in for Charli xcx’s new mockumentary film The Moment – and the verdicts are mixed.
The film follows a pop star (Charli), who plays a fictionalised version of herself, as she embarks on her first arena tour amid the monumental success of her new album.
Alongside Charli, the film also stars the likes of Kylie Jenner, Alexander Skarsgard and Rosanna Arquette.
Following its premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, the film has received mixed reviews from critics, with Screen Rant calling it “a horribly misguided mockumentary”
The reviewer said: “As best as I can understand it, The Moment is a film about Charli xcx terrified of being perceived as too cringe.
“The film neither works as straight comedy nor as a tense character drama.”
The Guardian praised the film’s “smart idea”, but added: "There is too little risk – in the defanged satire, in the muddled thematic sprawl, even in a late-stage satirical swing that, for this fan, jumped the shark – to rise above its sharp-eyed construction."
The Moment is currently sitting at 56 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes – a rather surprising score considering the mixed reviews.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter called the mockumentary “muddled”. The reviewer said: "For the more casual viewer, The Moment is entertaining enough, for a while."
They added: "As it plods into its second and third acts, The Moment seems at cross purposes with itself. Is this a biting farce about the vacuities of celebrity industry? Or is it an earnest reflection on what it was to live at the centre of this good-natured but still highly pressurised mania? Zamiri and Charli ultimately choose the latter pose, which tilts the film into self-serious indulgence."
British singer Charli skyrocketed to fame following the release of her sixth studio album, Brat, back in June 2024, which went on to inspire the Brat summer trend that took the internet by storm.
Directed by Aidan Zamiri, The Moment features a combination of real footage from Charli's record-breaking Brat tour, and fictional backstage scenes.
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The Moment will premiere in cinemas in the UK on Friday, 20th February 2026.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
