Whether you like it or not, pop stars are infiltrating the movies you watch. But, let’s not act like this is anything new, as larger-than-life icons like Madonna redefined her artistry and starred opposite the likes of Tom Hanks and Rosanna Arquette, then even grabbing a Golden Globe Award to place on a crowded, stylish shelf. Charli xcx’s journey into your cinemas and homes has begun … and I’m all here for it.
My favorite use of her — outside of the wonderfully hyper pop sound of BRAT (2024) — comes a 72-minute poem that feels like coming home from a couple of drinks on a Saturday night and throwing on a soft Apple Music playlist. Erupcja is the new film from director Pete Ohs (Jethica, Everything Beautiful Is Far Away) that feels like the exact kind of French New Wave homage I could throw on most days of the week.
Erupcja follows a young couple, Bethany (Charli xcx) and Rob (Will Madden), on a romantic getaway in Warsaw, Poland – a place that has gripped my interest for quite some time as well. The trip quickly turns into a moment of realization for xcx’s character as a volcanic eruption leads her on an adventure of spontaneity with an old childhood friend, Nel (Lena Gora), across lofts, clubs and back alleys, all the while becoming entangled in an emotional web that challenges her sense of self. All of this is challenging for Rob, as he deeply loves Bethany and is also preparing to propose to her on the trip. The film feels like an exercise in which every character by the minute is learning new things about themselves and each other.
Pete Ohs’ film — of which he wrote, directed, edited, photographed, and produced — is a European nightcap done right. I, originally, caught this film at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival — which felt perfect given my foreign, solo travel where I’m fascinated by things such as the exchange rate and Maltesers. The characters are morally complex with nuanced performances from each of the three main characters, along with memorable heat-checks from a supporting cast that includes notable playwright Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play).
Aside from her self-performance in the music mockumentary about the Brat era, this is Charli xcx’s performance that feels just as natural as her throwing ragers in arenas around the world. It all feels so familar for Charli, as her stunning natural beauty is a perfect lean into a redefining of her artistic integrity. Xcx is a true cinephile through and through, as her Letterboxd account is one of the most followed on the platform; watching a pop-star use her influence to promote and star in this kind of exercise might be what we need right now. Gen-z is in need of a cinema ambassador — who better but Charli?
Erupcja is worth seeing for it’s true, low-fare flight to an unknown place. Much like the film’s use of a volcano as the obvious backdrop to describe Bethany and Lena’s fiery relationship, Ohs delivers on the promise that traveling can set not only your expectations right, but also your young, burning heart’s longing for excursion and risk.
Erupcja is now in limited release and expanding over the next couple of weeks.
