'Moxie' good film for young feminist girls

[FemaleAndLearning]

Just watched Moxie on Netflix with my 11 and 13 year olds (it is rated 15). We all really enjoyed it. It was just released March 2021 which shocked me as it really seems to talk about smashing the patriarchy and uses the word female so I thought it was an old film.
Very inspiring, but my 13 year old also found it a bit depressing that girls are still treated like this. It's set in USA. It does have a raw sense of helplessness about it but gives the feel that quiet small changes can make a difference and as a collective change can be made.
Anyone else seen it and have any thoughts?

[Chimoia]

I heard a review today and was planning to watch with my two, 15 and 17 - and dh.

[GrimSisters]

I didn't realise the film was out. I bought the book for DD (and read it myself). She really enjoyed it. Will look it up.

[FemaleAndLearning]

I saw after it was based on a book so thanks for the review, will get it.

[zanahoria]

I love Amy Poehler, cannot wait to see this

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Watched it with DD(10) this afternoon she loved everything about it. I'm very easily manipulated by films so I cried at the end

[highame]

Mark Kermode has Moxie in his film review this weekend. He is positive about the film and I must admit I think it's about time a film about young girls and their fight for equality. 'Fed up with the sexist and toxic status quo at her high school, a shy 16-year-old finds inspiration from her mother’s rebellious past and anonymously publishes a zine that sparks a school-wide, coming-of-rage revolution.'

Tbh it's about time

[Beamur]

It's a sweet film. A touch clichéd in part but heart in the right place.
I liked the way it's a rediscovery of old school feminism and activism.
The love interest boy is nicely played - he's a decent, principled kid.
I think, but haven't looked, that one of the girls is trans (mentions people not using her new name) and there's a nice mix of different girls who come together and become friends through discovering feminism.

[FemaleAndLearning]

The trans character totally passed us by. I heard the line about using the new name but didn't make the connection. However being on the side of females and supporting women's rights has to be a good thing. I didn't hear the character say they were a woman, but may have missed that too.

[Trumplosttheelection]

We just watched this. Really enjoyed it and dd3 is going back to school tomorrow fired up to deal with any misogyny.
The trans character is not a big part of the film. I suspect it's a strand that's there so that nobody can throw rocks about it not being iyswim.
There's lots of positives. It makes very, very clear how dangerous Male entitlement is and also that when female power starts to be felt, men resort to claims of being bullied and victimised.
I think the Principle is a really interesting character too. She has so much power and yet is so complicit.

[SingToTheSky]

Thank you for posting this! I will watch it alone first. I was also concerned about the “new name” thing as my 13yo may happily latch onto it and I want to avoid that.

[Theimpossiblegirl]

I'm planning a movie night with my 2 teen girls to watch this next weekend. Looking forward to it.

[Spiegelx]

Enjoyed it too. The new name comment is totally inconsequential and my DD didn’t even notice it

[SingToTheSky]

That’s really reassuring thank you. We had a discussion recently about why so many of her friends are not wanting to identify as female right now, and the subjects in this film are a huge part of that. She herself had an awful experience with her first boyfriend, she’s growing up and getting comments from random men in the street etc. If the film makes her feel more able to be angry and tackle it then that’s brilliant

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

The trans character is not a big part of the film. I suspect it's a strand that's there so that nobody can throw rocks about it not being iyswim

Seems pretty insulting to put someone is as just the "token trans* though. (And why not a trans boy?)

I actually thought it was interesting how the trans character appears. They always looked very uncomfortable, and were generally shown in fleeting shots of a whole group. The one scene where they were the focus (audition) the camera was miles away - no closeup shots like the other characters. They seemed to be filmed very differently to other members of the group which seemed a bit odd.

[FemaleAndLearning]

To be fair I thought the trans character was one of those girls aspiring to be a Kardashian. The wig and really bad make up and fat lips. That's why with the name thing I thought the character had gone for some new name to reflect that. The character auditions for Audrey in the school musical but again I've no idea who Audrey is if which musical it refers to. I just thought the character was on the edge but for bring different not trans.
Is the actor male or female?

[boatyardblues]

I watched it with my 13 yo son. We both enjoyed it. It was good to see the love interest portrayed as a decent young man. In many US teen films, the boys are as stereotyped and one dimensional as the girls. A win on both sides I’d say.

[SingToTheSky]

Wow I just watched it. That was amazing, I loved it.

I was prepared to be annoyed about the fact it included a romance storyline but actually I think it worked. Fights the stereotype of feminists being bitter singletons I guess (I’m not wording that very well but you know what I mean)

I don’t want to put spoilers but it was a really unexpected small bit that made me a bit teary 😳

[BitOfFun]

I've literally just read about this- I'll watch it with my mum this afternoon when she visits me (I'm poorly). Can't wait!

[horseyhorsey17]

It was OK. Very lib femmy and frothy. Good to see a girls' film about female empowerment but I wasn't keen on the way it centred on the romance with right-on Seth, who got woke cookies just for drawing hearts and flowers on his hands and claiming to be a feminist. That was literally all he did - the girls did all the actual work - and everyone swooned over him. All the cast of diverse characters were very two-dimensional and got about a sentence each to say, and I thought the way the rape was tacked on at the end was ill-judged and far too lightly treated - the idea that the captain of the football team would be arrested or face any recriminations at all was laughable, given that the rest of the film was about him getting away with everything. Sadly a group of girls wearing tank tops to school was unlikely to have turned anyone into rampant feminists, let alone head teachers or the police.

[SingToTheSky]

Re the trans character

www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/03/07/meet-the-actress-who-plays-moxies-trans-character-cj-josie-totah/

[Daydrambeliever]

Hmmmm. I'm probably not the demographic the film is aimed it. I found it a bit earnest (like most teen American movies). The female characters were stereotypes - bookish Asian, ballsy black lesbian, and the tick box trans and disabled characters were totally superfluous. I adore Amy Poehler ordinarily but this felt a bit obvious.

[Daydrambeliever]

Id rather my (imaginary) teen daughter watch Wine Country than Moxie tbh.

[BitOfFun]

Well, i watched it with Mum, and we enjoyed it. Yes, it was stereotyped and obvious, but it still had charm. And the soundtrack was great.

[WholegrainCustard]

I’ve just watched it and found it a bit meh.

The stereotyped characters were contrived, the joining of all the girls - from cheerleaders to the outcasts - was wholesome but entirely unrealistic. I mean, it was ok, watchable, but lacked character, which I didn’t expect from something Amy Poehler is involved in - I usually love her stuff.

I noticed the trans actor, and felt incredibly sorry for them as it came across as “shoehorn in a trans character” rather than there actually being a role. They came across throughout as incredibly uncomfortable.