Moxie (2021)

Moxie has the rare gift of turning righteous anger into something buoyant and watchable, a teen coming-of-age story that feels like a spark catching in dry grass. Amy Poehler directs with a warm, punchy rhythm, letting the humor and music-fueled energy carry the film even as it takes the everyday cruelties of high school sexism seriously. Hadley Robinson anchors it with a relatable, quietly brave performance, while the ensemble gives the school hallways a lived-in charm that makes the victories feel earned, not manufactured. It’s inspiring in that cathartic, “I wish I’d had this at sixteen” way—though if you’re allergic to message-driven storytelling or sensitive to discussions of harassment and sexual assault, it may hit too close to home.

Moxie is clearly aiming to be a crowd-pleasing teen rally cry about finding your voice and calling out everyday sexism, and Amy Poehler brings a warm, accessible energy to that mission. The problem is it often spells everything out in big, tidy speeches, so the message can feel more like a lesson plan than a lived-in story, and the sharper edges of its subject matter get sanded down to keep things PG-13-friendly. When it pivots into heavier territory late in the film, the pacing can feel rushed, as if the movie wants the emotional weight without doing all the groundwork. If you want a nuanced, messy, genuinely biting take on teen politics and feminism, this may feel too safe—but if you’re after an earnest, easy-to-watch empowerment movie with likable performances and a supportive vibe, it’ll probably do the job.