Charli XCX's The Moment compared to Spice World as divisive film hits cinemas

Charli XCX’s new film, The Moment, has landed in UK cinemas to a flurry of mixed reviews, with some critics branding it a "glum Spice World".

The A24-produced feature, directed by Aiden Zamiri, offers a fictionalised glimpse into the cultural phenomenon surrounding the 33-year-old singer’s 2024 Brat album, chronicling her journey in the lead-up to a world tour.

The mockumentary has garnered varied responses from critics. The Telegraph awarded it two out of five stars, describing it as "more like a glum Spice World than the next Spinal Tap" and a "messy exercise in self-consciousness".

Similarly, The Times suggested the film was a remake of the 1997 Spice Girls comedy, stating that Charli "buries her musical gifts under layers of tepid irony in a patchy, manic mockumentary". The review elaborated: "Sadly, the mockumentary Zamiri’s film most resembles — at times, eerily so — is Spice World: The Movie. No, really. Same manic energy. Same faux crises. Same shouty one-note line delivery. Indeed, there’s a lot of Ginger Spice from that film in the Charli XCX we meet here, especially when our Brat protagonist is hammering out some grimly overliteral clunkers such as, ‘they all seem to think that they know what’s best for me’."

The Guardian gave the film three out of five stars, acknowledging its "smart idea" but noting "not a lot else". Their review highlighted: "Though billed as a mockumentary, The Moment, also directed by Zamiri, is less Spinal Tap and more Black Swan, a ragged, borderline horror film of cracking under the pressure of getting what you want. In this funhouse mirror version, the singer plays a more pitched, volatile and transparently insecure version of herself in preparation for the Brat tour."

Kylie Jenner stars alongside Charli XCX in 'The Moment' Charli XCX/Instagram

Sight And Sound found the film "tonally confused", suggesting that the singer, whose real name is Charlotte Aitchison, struggled to carry the narrative with her persona.

The magazine’s review read: "Billed as a mockumentary, this music-biz chronicle never finds its footing, caught between essentially workplace humour around a buzzy director (Alexander Skarsgard) brought in to shoot the tour, and the tedious obligations of maintaining her independence and brand."

However, Radio Times offered a more positive assessment, hailing the film as "a perfect way to finally bang a nail in the Brat coffin". Their review praised its critical insight: "Where the film scores is its skewering of the music industry, and the way artists are frequently forced to either compromise or repeat past successes for the sake of the bottom line. The outcome of the Brat bank card debacle is particularly funny (as is the fact that sandwich chain Pret adopt a similar green colour for their rebranded logo). Turning away from Charli’s music for the final scene, the choice of The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony feels very apt indeed."

The Moment follows Charli XCX’s recent release of her Wuthering Heights album on 13 February, a companion piece to the Emerald Fennell film.

The artist has also appeared in other cinematic projects, including Pete Ohs’ Erupcja and Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights Of Hero. The film, which premiered in US cinemas on 30 January, is now available to watch in UK cinemas.