Moxie

There is a specific, tactile thrill in seeing a teenage girl aggressively staple a stack of papers together in a world dominated by TikTok algorithms and disappearing Instagram stories. When Moxie landed on Netflix in the spring of 2021, we were all still a bit stir-crazy, staring at our screens and wondering if the "outside world" still existed. Seeing Hadley Robinson as the introverted Vivian, lurking in the shadows of her high school hallways, felt oddly resonant. But the film isn’t just a lockdown distraction; it’s a neon-soaked, Bikini Kill-soundtracked attempt to bridge the gap between 90s "Riot Grrrl" grit and the intersectional activism of Gen Z.

I watched this while my cat, Barnaby, was hyper-fixated on a single rogue Cheeto under my coffee table, and honestly, his relentless focus was the perfect energy for a movie about a girl realizing she’s finally had enough of the status quo.

A Riot Grrrl Starter Pack

The film kicks off when Vivian discovers her mother’s (a wonderfully cast Amy Poehler) "rebellious" past. We’re talking leather jackets, old zines, and the kind of 90s punk energy that feels like a relic in our polished, digital era. Inspired by a new student, Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña), who refuses to put up with the school's "rankings" of female students, Vivian starts an anonymous zine titled Moxie.

What I love about Hadley Robinson's performance is the visible friction. She isn't an overnight revolutionary; she’s a girl who is terrified of her own voice even as she’s using it. She captures that specific brand of teenage anxiety where your heart is beating in your throat while you’re doing something as simple as leaving a pamphlet in a bathroom stall. It’s a performance that gives the film its pulse, keeping it grounded even when the script leans into some fairly predictable high school movie tropes.

Navigating the Sentient Polo Shirt

Every revolution needs a villain, and Patrick Schwarzenegger delivers a performance as Mitchell Wilson that is the cinematic equivalent of a sentient, smug polo shirt. He’s the star athlete who weaponizes "niceness" and school spirit to mask a deeply toxic sense of entitlement. It’s a frustratingly accurate portrayal of the kind of guy who thinks he’s the hero of the story because he hasn't been "caught" doing anything wrong yet.

On the flip side, we get Nico Hiraga as Seth, the supportive boyfriend who is basically the dream demographic for a post-2015 "woke" love interest. He’s charming, he listens, and he doesn’t try to steal the spotlight. While their romance provides some necessary sweetness, the real meat of the movie lies in the friendship between Vivian and Claudia (Lauren Tsai). The tension between Vivian’s newfound radicalism and Claudia’s more cautious, culturally-informed perspective is one of the film’s smartest moves. It acknowledges that feminism isn't a monolith and being a "loud rebel" is a luxury not everyone can afford.

Streaming-Era Activism

As a product of the current streaming era, Moxie is clearly designed to be "shareable." It’s bright, it’s fast-paced, and it hits the major talking points of contemporary discourse—from dress code double standards to the systemic dismissal of sexual assault. Directed by Amy Poehler (who also produced through her Paper Kite Productions), the film has a clear-eyed affection for its characters. Poehler doesn't over-direct; she lets the ensemble breathe, which is essential for a story about collective action.

Is it a bit "Feminism 101"? Sure. If you grew up on Sleater-Kinney and spent your weekends at Kinko’s making your own zines, some of this might feel like a glossy, "Netflix-ified" version of your youth. It’s basically a Riot Grrrl starter pack for people who think Bikini Kill is a type of swimsuit. But that’s also the point. Moxie isn't trying to be a gritty documentary; it’s a gateway drug for younger viewers to realize that the world as it's presented to them isn't the only version available.

The film captures the 2021 zeitgeist perfectly—that messy, loud, and sometimes clumsy transition from internal frustration to external protest. It doesn't solve every problem it raises, and some of the subplots feel a bit rushed in the 110-minute runtime, but the emotional payoff in the final act feels earned.

Moxie is a spirited, if slightly sanitized, rally cry that succeeds because it leans into the earnestness of its young cast. It’s a film that understands the power of a Sharpie and a photocopier, even in an age of viral hashtags. While it might not reinvent the high school drama, it provides a much-needed jolt of energy and a reminder that finding your voice is a messy, essential process. If you’re looking for a movie that makes you want to stand up and cheer (and maybe start a small-scale revolution in your own living room), this is a solid pick for your next streaming night.

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Stuff You Didn't Notice

The zines featured in the film were created by actual zine artists to ensure they looked authentic to the medium rather than just "movie props." Hadley Robinson and Lauren Tsai actually spent time hanging out before filming to build that genuine, "we've known each other since we were five" chemistry that anchors the movie. * The soundtrack is a curated history of feminist punk, featuring tracks from Bikini Kill, The Linda Lindas, and Tigers Jaw, serving as a bridge between the 90s and the present day.