Moxie came to Netflix at a strategic time – Women’s History Month. A great imprint of female activism are the 90s punk rock girl groups, including the emblematic Bikini Kill. Their anthem ‘Rebel Girl’ sets the tone for this feature film that brings back the leather jackets, loud riots, and fearlessness to the current high school setting. Despite the lack of well-rounded characters, Moxie surely expresses the need for sticking up for what is right and shows that women who support one another are invincible.
“Amy Poehler‘s girl power tale has faults but doesn’t cease to entertain”
Vivian (Hadley Robinson) is the typical book-smart girl, trying to be more than her status as ‘most obedient’ in the class. When confronted with a nerve-wracking college essay, she notices her journey in the school halls is coming to an end and she hasn’t made a lasting impact on the student body. When she opens an old suitcase filled with her mother’s golden day treasures as a feminist advocate, she also begins to feel passionate about the cause. After observing the injustices regarding dress code as well as the lack of support for girls in sports as opposed to boys, Vivian ignites the Moxie’ movement.
The supporting characters
The protagonist might be the one who comes up with the initiative, but she is hardly as vocal about the matter in comparison to Lucy (Alicia Pascual-Peña), the new girl that could have easily been the main character in this film. She isn’t complacent with the way Mitchell Wilson (Patrick Schwarzenegger) mistreats her and she even challenges the continuous interpretation of The Great Gatsby as the ultimate American Dream.
“You know that annoying can be more than just annoying, right? Like it can be code for worse stuff” – Lucy
Still, Lucy also suffers from the same issue all the characters face in this production – a lack of character development. Moxie introduces many valid points about the battle for equality but fails to pinpoint the background stories of the individuals that uphold its narrative.
A feel-good film with a powerful message
Yet, these obvious defects don’t take away the shimmer of the viewer experience. From the Sharpie engraved stars to the scream-along in the end, this is a feel-good with a powerful message. The ‘Moxie’ movement consists of female empowerment by supporting one another while taking a stand. Vivian grows more outspoken as she is surrounded by classmates who also speak their mind. The same goes for Claudia (Laura Tsai), her shy best friend who takes the blame for the sake of sorority. The girls are the centrepiece of this dram, but we can’t forget to acknowledge Seth’s (Nico Hiraga) part in the movement. In order for change to happen, there must be men who shake away from the typical male stereotypes and support women in their cause.
Overall, Amy Poehler’s interpretation of Jennifer Mathieu’s novel is a fine definition of girl power at its core value. With a talented young cast and exulting attitude, Moxie showcases valuable lessons of bravery against conformation. It does, however, lack the character development that would instantly make it remarkable.
Moxie is now streaming on Netflix.
Isabella Soares
Featured image courtesy of Brianna Santellan via Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to the image.
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