Moxie, one of Netflix’s new original movies, is based on the book written by Jennifer Mathieu, which deals with the main characters—as well as the rest of their peers—struggling with sexism and misogyny in their small town high school in Oregon.
I heard about Moxie even before it came out on Netflix on March 3, 2021, so when I finally sat down and watched it I was really excited to see it. I usually love movie adaptations of books, so that only contributed to my anticipation.
Directed by Amy Poehler, this movie exposes some of the taboo issues surrounding teenagers and reveals the various struggles people face daily through one girl’s story.
Vivian, played by Hadley Robinson, is a typical high school student who is fed up with how students are treated by a group of guys. She is inspired by her mom’s rebellious past and anonymously publishes a magazine to help fight for the girls at her school. It really showed that people can fight issues together better than on their own.
Moxie blew my expectations out of the water. The screenwriter, Dylan Meyer, created a story with the message that standing up for what’s right is important, no matter how great the challenge. I think that’s a great message for anybody—from the target audience of teen girls to anybody else watching the movie.
Moxie has a gripping storyline, impassioned acting performances, and enduring characters anyone can relate to. However, as much as I love the characters and the issues they faced, I feel like they could have gone more in-depth in some of the characters’ storylines. That’s why I give this movie 4 horseshoes out of 5. But don’t just take my word for it—if you are looking for a movie with spunky teen feminism, then check it out on Netflix!