Moxie

Originally published on social media on March 10th, 2022

I’m not really a Netflix original movie watcher, but this one is truly a hidden gem! Takes place in the PNW, has some references to the 90’s feminism movement, and has the infamous Amy Poehler! Not only does Amy Poehler play the cool mom figure, but she directs the film too. With all those elements, how could this film not be cool?

Here are some other elements that give this film moxie (pun intended): the soundtrack is great, the characters are realistic, and the romantic interest is incredibly refreshing. For real though, the guy in this breaks the stereotypes and isn’t so self involved, prideful, unrealistic, jealous, or mean. He is kind and supports progress! I hope to see characters like him more in future teen cinema so that maybe the next generation will build better ideals of what kind of people they should fall for.

Another thing, this film started off with people being in cliques (so high school am I right?). Further into the film, the cliques were broken down and people from all groups became friends and supported one another. I love that, and I think it is so important to show high school kids that cliques are not cool, and that the concept of cool is open to interpretation and doesn’t have one definition. Plus, being friends with both the people who are similar to you AND those who are different is so much fun! We grow, learn, and become better people when we embrace diversity!

Above all, this film does a great job capturing the current social and political movements that demand that women and people of color be treated with respect and equality. While #womenshistorymonth is about looking back at some of the legends and movements that created social and political progress for women, it’s also about looking at what’s going on right now and what we can do now to create a greater future for the next generation.