Director:
Amy Poehler
Writers:
Tamara Chestna
Dylan Meyer
Starring:
Hadley Robinson
Lauren Tsai
Alycia Pascual-Peña
Nico Hiraga
Blurb:
Fed up with the sexist and toxic status quo at her high school, a shy 16-year-old finds inspiration from her mother’s rebellious past and anonymously publishes a zine that sparks a school-wide, coming-of-rage revolution.
Review:
Listen, I am not a fan of young adult and high school centered media. Except, apparently, I am? Netflix has me watching and enjoying movies and TV shows set in high school, with Moxie being the most recent. It’s mind-boggling. I didn’t have a horrible experience in high school. I have just never liked angsty teens.
Moxie is about a school in Texas that has a problem with toxic masculinity. It isn’t until a new girl in school pushes back and inspires another girl that things start to change, though. Everything bad that happens in this movie is entirely too believable. What I love, though, is that the students fighting back are able to make a difference. Even if it’s just learning that they aren’t alone. The female bonding was awesome.
Something that I love to see is women working together instead of working against each other. For too long, the toxic idea that if another woman succeeds, then you can’t. Having that be completely flipped and women beginning to rely on and help each other is wonderful.
Moxie was inspiring. It was hopeful and fun. There was a complete, angst-ridden meltdown at one point, but I fast-forwarded through it. I would watch more young adult movies like this in a heartbeat.
4/5
Dynamite Review 