I was late discovering Charli XCX and the whole PC Music thing. (Because: Old.) But I read a decade review from Tiny Mixtapes in 2020 (during covid, I guess) and I thought it all sounded interestingly weird… so I bought some PC Music stuff and I was blown away. And then I got Pop 2 and Number 1 Angel and I was *gasp*.
So then when I was more or less caught up, she released Crash and I was “OK, once again I discover an artist just before they start to suck and go commercial” — disappointing but not shocking.
And then 2024 rolled around and she finally broke through in a huge way — but not by doing another cookie cutter(ish) album like Crash, but by going back to her craziest stuff and upping the volume on everything. I was flabbergasted, again, and now I could do the hipster thing of “oh, you’re just discovering her? Wow, I’ve been listening to her for *mumble* years”, which is always very satisfying. And then I saw her at a festival, doing the Brat set last summer, and it was so fun: Everybody shouting out all the lyrics and jumping around and smiling (most probably on various substances).
So when it was announced that she was doing a mockumentary around the Brat tour, I thought that was just perfect. The reviews are not very positive, though? But watching clips like these on Twitter — it’s perhaps the most sarcastic thing ever filmed — I’m now wondering whether the reviewers just didn’t get it, perhaps? Because it’s doesn’t seem like a broad Spinal Tap-like mockumentary, but more a very sarcastic, sardonic look at both the pop entertainment business — “there but for the grace of pop go I” — but also a sly self critique at the same time?
I.e., kinda like Brat is?
So I’m very excited to finally watch this? Perhaps I’m all wrong in my guesses. *rolls movie*
Yeah, ok, ok… I’m not rolling around on the floor here. So far it’s been them gently poking fun at obvious targets (record execs, directors, etc) and also gently poking fun at things that seem like genuine annoying things, like make up artists who have a stomach virus or something, who still show up at work.
It just feels a bit… scattered? Like something you’d find really funny if you’re in the movie, but lacks the comedy beats to carry it on over to the audience?
OK, I laughed out loud at the credit card scene.
Yeah, the problem here is that this movie is giving off “what if I were a sellout instead of being awesome — wouldn’t that have sucked?” vibes? So Charli XCX is doing a version of herself as if she sucked, and it just comes off a bit smug, really?
The other problem is that she’s not actually a great actor. I’ve seen her in interviews, and here she is playing herself in similar situations and it comes off a bit amateurish?
Heh heh very Spinal Tap.
Heh heh heh.
I guess whenever there’s a (bad) pop concert production in the years ahead people will be going “oh, that’s such a Johannes production”.
Heh heh heh.
But… the movie didn’t really work, I think? I mean, there were funny bits, but they weren’t funny enough. And the sincere bits felt a bit strained, and it needed something more in the plot dept. than just a masseuse being negative to tip the Charli XCX character over the edge?
Oh, and the extreme shakycam just made me a bit nauseated after a while.
But kinda fun movie.
The Moment. Aidan Zamiri. 2026. ⚃
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