By Nicole Sanchez, Contributing Writer
According to the Netflix original, “Moxie,” starting a feminist rebellion at a sexist high school can quickly happen by creating an anonymous zine for the girls who feel unheard.
“Moxie” was originally a book written by Jennifer Mathieu that was published in 2017. Even though the film stays on course with the plot of the book, there are a few significant differences between the two mediums.
In the movie, director Amy Poehler adds additional scenes, like a funeral home date, and also makes the principal of the school a woman, unlike in the book. These slight changes bring a more modern twist to Mathieu’s book and allow viewers and young teens today to relate a little bit more to the film.
When it comes to the plot, the instigator of the movie, Vivian, is a shy junior in high school without a plan. It is her and her best friend Claudia against the world until she discovers her mother’s past as an activist in the 1990’s.
“We protested everything,” is all Lisa has to say to convince Vivian to follow in her footsteps. Vivian’s mother, played by Poehler, sparks a fire in the young teen, who is already fed up with the misogyny taking place at her school.
After learning about her mother’s past, Vivian decides to write, print, and share with her entire school “Moxie,” her own version of her mother’s work in the past.
Of course, there’s always a catch. Vivian keeps herself anonymous and, throughout the movie, everyone—from the jocks to the principal—tries to figure out who is the creator of “Moxie.”
When I first started watching the movie, I could not help but identify with how hard it can be to survive high school, let alone a high school that outwardly awards sexist behavior.
In “Moxie,” the school enforces dress codes for girls with bigger chests and does not punish male students for objectifying their female classmates. It is hard for me to imagine going through the challenges of being a teenage girl and, on top of that, facing sexist stereotypes.
In the movie, not only do the girls get placed in categories by the boys, they also struggle with feeling unheard by most of their authority figures. It is only after Vivian shares her zine that the students start to speak out against the unfair treatment they are facing. “Moxie” became something more to the student body and was supported by the majority of the school.
There are a lot of important male characters within this film, but one that drastically stood out to me was Davie, Vivian’s English teacher. Davie was a character who was afraid of expressing his own opinions about the girl’s rebellion because he was scared of the backlash that he would face.
Even though Davie is eventually able to give his stance on the movement, he only does it when he is sure that the school’s security cameras cannot see him. It made me upset to think that even professionals feel the need to minimize their beliefs in fear of punishments or losing their jobs.
The fact that you might have to succumb to pressure within the workplace is a harsh reality. While this movie obviously highlights the struggles of being young and speaking out against sexism, it also highlights the obstacles adults can face.
Director and actress Poehler makes it a point to take Vivian and her fellow students seriously, instead of regarding them from a distance. She also focuses on addressing everything, from bullying to sexual assault, but does so in a way where she can use humor and promote defiance and the idea of collective optimism to her audience.
In conclusion, “Moxie” is a story of empowerment. Despite the ups and downs throughout, the strong performances from the actors and actresses—along with the film’s unwavering enthusiasm—leaves the audience satisfied with the happy ending.
This movie can be seen as revolutionary for young girls of Vivian’s age. Poehler was really able to bring the book “Moxie” to life and send the message in a similar—but unique—way to her young audience. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for something to watch during quarantine or someone who loves a good teen drama or comedy.
