by John Zenoni
I've never really been a follower of Amy Poelher other than when she was on SNL so I'm not really familiar with any of her work outside of that classic TV show. I never even watched an episode of ‘Parks & Recreation’ so can’t speak to how that show was. However, I must say she did a really good job acting in and directing the latest film to hit Netflix, ‘Moxie.’
In this film she plays a single mom raising a studious, well behaved ‘good girl’ named Vivian, who is finding her way as a junior in high school. Her life consists of mostly reading, studying, talking and hanging out with her best friend since 4-years-old, Claudia. Vivian and Claudia mostly observe and watch the other high schoolers around them. When a new girl starts at the school, Lucy, who encounters harassing behavior from the captain of the football team, things begin to change for Vivian. She begins to open her eyes to the way women are treated and wants to take action but doesn't know what to do. In a discussion with her mom one evening, she finds out her mom and several girlfriends used to be ‘rebels’ and participate in rallies, protests, hand out fliers, etc. So Vivian decides she's going to do the same and comes up with the name ‘Moxie’ and begins to spread (anonymously) material throughout the school with this name on it and comments regarding how the women are done with the treatment of women at the school. Needless to say, she starts a movement and the action kicks into high gear.
While not a film that would normally appeal to me, I will say it was actually pretty good and the young actors did a great job of portraying that high school ‘angst.’ The story was interesting enough to keep you engaged and you wanted to see how Vivian’s actions played out and whether or not she would reveal that she was ‘Moxie.’ It also is a film that has messages that will leave you thinking afterwards which in the end is what I think the film intended to do.
I will note that one of my favorite things about this film though is the soundtrack! Excellent songs that I was able to download to my playlist.
This is a pretty good entry into the ‘angry young high schoolers’ films!
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