The film ‘Moxie’, released in 2021, stared on Netflix, represented a comedy-drama film, directed by Amy Poehler. This Poehler film attempts to capture the vibrant energy and wilful rebelliousness of feminist activist circles from the past. The film follows the story of the main character Vivian (played by Hadley Robinson), a shy and introverted student, taking various steps in order to make a stand against the sexist and misogynistic culture at her high school after various occasions made her want to replicate her mother riots grrrl past.
I found this movie to hold a great representation of the common, unspoken and underrepresented social issue of gender discrimination over the female experience. This held a great strength in the portrayal of feminist activism among teenagers, capturing the frustration and anger felt by young women exposed to this type of social injustice daily. For example, Vivian’s journey from a passive bystander, shy and uncomfortable with conflict to an outspoken advocate for gender equality began when the teachers, boys and other woman were oblivious to the inequalities in which their society were producing, Vivian’s nascent feminism goes into overdrive when inspired collections of her mother’s 1990 riot past sparked light into how these inequalities shouldn’t be shadowed. She creates an anonymous zine, names it Moxie and dumps copies of a new revolution in the girls bathroom. This act challenges the change of the status quo, marking relatable, empowering and resonating issues in which enlightened a change, whilst also presenting fresh views for women.
Moreover, this film also captures the uniqueness of placing a diverse range of characters to portray these social issues. This use of diversity is a great stepping point for those trying to find their voice, their group whilst also trying to assemble an opinion of their own in a society that may deem confusing. This is displayed when Vivian, a head down student is voted ‘most obedient’ in the class list compiled by high school jocks, grotesquely ranking girls in categories including, ‘best rack’ and ‘best ass’ . This type of behaviour is portrayed as normal for Vivian, almost as if every girl is expecting, waiting nervously for a rank, highlighting the intersectionality of gender, and other forms of oppression.
In addition to its diverse cast of characters, not only does this film represent gender oppression and inequality, it also captures the unique struggles of each character. From Claudia (Lauren Tsai), A Japanese-American girl navigating the struggles of her cultural identity, to Kiera, (Sydney Park), a Black student facing racism and discrimination due to her appearances. The intersectionality of gender, race and other form of oppression really captures and adds depth into how important interconnectedness is when understanding solidarity and the social justice issues each group faces, whilst tackling the understanding that each group faces them together.
Overall, the film Moxie was a heartfelt, and important film in which shows clearly the important themes of feminism, activism and identity. Its positive message of social equality is ground-breaking in its approach, giving a clear and represented message of an enlightened change, whilst also exploring the complexity that gender and power has in a contemporised society.
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