SOUNDBITE: Girl power gives movie its Moxie

MOVIE: Moxie   ♦♦♦♦♦ (5 out of 5)

As a girl, I’ve always had to face the issues that go against women every day. I’ve had frustration over dress code,  sports discrimination, and the way boys and men seem to get away with the things they do. We live in an unfair system, and this unfair system becomes exposed through Netflix’s new movie Moxie. 

  Moxie is set in a California high school where girls are underappreciated and often pushed over so that the boys can be praised or put into the spotlight. The girls’ soccer team has had more success than the football team, yet they receive  little to no money for any equipment upgrades. Boys get away from harassing girls because it’s just deemed as “annoying”, and they even create a ranking list for the girls.

Hadley Robinson (Little Women) stars as the main character Vivian. After witnessing the football captain Mitchell (Patrick Schwarzenegger) harass the new girl Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña), she grows angry. When she finds pictures and magazines from her mom’s rebellious past, she names herself Moxie and creates an anonymous zine that calls out the discrimination in the school. It inspires a movement in the school and leads to many ups and downs for the group of girls that are part of the Moxie Club. 

  The director of this film is Amy Poehler, a woman best known for her role as Leslie Knope on Parks and Rec. The film is produced in such a way that it accurately portrays how high school life is. It connects to teenagers in an easy, simple way. This movie is not quite your average feminism movie, since it tackles discrimation against girls directly. Movies like Wonder Woman (2017) and Legally Blonde (2001) are popular feminist movies, but they’re all focused on girl power in some abstract forms. The characters aren’t teenagers and aren’t in a modern-day high school setting, which makes Moxie unique. It shows some of the dirty truth regarding teachers, other students, and the hold that popularity has over others. 

  The acting was relatively good. It’s easy to relate to, easy to understand, and is very easy to follow. The characters are clean, but complex at the same time. They all have their moments to shine and express themselves. Every character represents someone the audience may know themselves, like the popular cheerleader, the jerky jock, the classic nice guy, and the nerdy girl. This all helps put it together and make it more appealing to the audience. Good job there, Amy Peohler.

  This movie has a powerful message attached to it. It teaches the audience to respect other people, to listen to what girls have to say, and to ultimately fight back against the discrimination that society has let happen for centuries. If you like girl-power movies that are raw and true, then I definitely recommend this movie to you. It has a unique cast, a strong director and writing, as well as a powerful message. It’s new and definitely deserves your attention.