Parents' Guide to The Moment

Charli XCX's deconstruction of cool is an absolute revelation, and her willingness to expose herself is incredibly brave, but for those who aren't fans, the film is nothing to sing about. Showing young viewers that "cool" is an attitude—one that's entirely rooted in confidence and can't be manufactured or maintained—may be the most freeing gift for the star's admirers. Charli blends her real life with fiction, makes substantial mistakes as a result of her own self-doubt, and then takes accountability for it. She has to ride out the consequences of her actions, which she takes on the chin. That's some role model stuff, right there—not bad for the 365 Party Girl.

As a film, though, while interesting enough, it's not new. Charli playing herself in a constructed situation with cameos from friends, celebrities, and real people who work on tours is packaged as a brash, bold creative move from the original brat. But, of course, The Weeknd did something similar (although less enjoyable) in 2025 with Hurry Up Tomorrow. And thanks to a profusion of fictional music films like A Star Is Born, biopics like Elvis, the original mock-rockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, and an ever-flowing fountain of music artist documentaries, it's not exactly surprising at this point to learn that, once a musician breaks into superstardom, the rats scurry in, trying to take the cheese for themselves and nibbling at the creative genius along the way. But Charli's young fans may not be familiar with all of these other takes on similar material, and they might well be blown away by Charli's innovativeness, so let's let them have ... the moment.