“Moxie!” Netflix Movie Review by Brooke Daugherty : Pop Culture Leftovers

“Moxie!” Netflix Movie Review by Brooke Daugherty

March 15, 2021 11:40 am |

MOXIE! isn’t just some teen comedy/drama, it’s a film about the world we live in. When new girl Lucy challenges the status quo at Rockport High School, shy Vivian creates a revolution calling out sexism with a paper zine in a digital world. Vivian’s realization of the world around her was inspired by Lucy, but the rest was inspired by her mother’s protesting past.

Jennifer Mathieu’s 2015 novel of the same name was adapted into a screenplay by Tamara Chestna and Dylan Meyer. Amy Poehler directed, starred, and produced the film, with Kim Lessing and Morgan Sackett, under Paper Kite Productions.

Vivian is played by Hadley Robinson. Her performance is as erratic as the actual Vivian should be when dealing with a whole new world view at the age of 16. This is a compliment, because it’s easy to think back about yourself as a teen, but it is another to portray that angst through a formed character. As mentioned, Amy Poehler plays Vivian’s mother Lisa. Ike Barinholtz and Marcia Gay Harden play high school faculty evading the issues as Mr. Davies and Principal Shelly respectively. The main cast is rounded out with Lauren Tsai as Vivian’s best friend Claudia, Alycia Pascual-Peña as new student Lucy, and Nico Hiraga as love interest Seth. Clark Gregg appears as a coworker/love interest of Lisa. Patrick Scwarzenegger plays the film’s main antagonist, Mitchell Wilson, captain of the football team and all around popular douchebag.

Moxie may not have enough tension anddrama for some people, but they are missing the bigger point. Women working together is always better than tearing each other down. When we support each other, the toxic patriarchal system will be rocked, allowing everyone to live better. This movie could have gone the route of most of the adults and ignored parts of this story. The feminism in this story is the best kind – intersectional. We see African American, Caucasian, Latinix, Chinese, and Transgender women working together. More than once the white protagonist is confronted by her own internal misogyny and racism. Yes, it could have gone farther, but this is ultimately a feel good, girl power film.

Maybe I am projecting my teen years on this film. Maybe it is the Riot Girl soundtrack. Or maybe it is because the message of this film speaks to me and I think it should make more people think about their passive dismissal of “Boys will be boys” or “just ignore it.” It’s all of it. If you have Netflix and the time to watch a movie, check out Moxie. It’s not Gossip girl, but it is truer to real life and should be an inspiration for all to speak up.

PCL Rating: Tupperware

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: FRESH