Typically, when you see a former cast member on “SNL” break out of the series and start a career in film, focused on building their acting career. And sometimes, those cast members will have a pretty solid career in comedies. But for Amy Poehler, she’s taking a different route, not only appearing in the occasional film but launching her career as a director, as seen in her new film, “Moxie.”
The trailer for “Moxie” lays out the plot pretty clearly. The film follows the story of a teenage girl that is content with blending into the background at her high school, never ruffling any feathers. However, when she discovers that her mom used to be this punk activist, she’s inspired to write a zine and start a feminist revolution at her school.
The film stars Hadley Robinson, Lauren Tsai, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Nico Hiraga, Sydney Park, Josephine Langford, Clark Gregg, Josie Totah, Alycia Pascual-Peña, Anjelika Washington, Charlie Hall, Sabrina Haskett, Ike Barinholtz, Amy Poehler, and Marcia Gay Harden. As mentioned, the film is directed by Poehler, based on a script by Tamara Chestna and Dylan Meyer. Prior to “Moxie,” Poehler had already worked with Netflix on her feature directorial debut, 2019’s “Wine Country.” She also directed episodes of “Broad City” and “Parks & Rec.”
“Moxie” arrives on Netflix on March 3. You can see the new trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
Vivian (Hadley Robinson), a seemingly shy 16-year-old, has always preferred to keep her head down and fly under the radar. But when the arrival of a new student (Alycia Pascual-Peña) forces her to examine the unchecked behavior of her fellow students running rampant at her high school, Vivian realizes she’s fed up. Inspired by her mother’s (Amy Poehler) rebellious past, Vivian anonymously publishes an underground zine called Moxie to expose bias and wrongdoing in her high school, and unexpectedly sparks a movement. Now at the center of a revolution, Vivian begins to forge new friendships with other young women and allies, reaching across the divide of cliques and clubs as they learn to navigate the highs and lows of high school together.