Moxie trips up with a large supporting cast with a number of thin characters.
That depth isn’t universally present in the supporting cast, however, and that extends to both the primary antagonistic forces, and Vivian’s newfound friends in revolution. Both Marcia Gay Harden’s turn-a-blind-eye principal and Patrick Schwarzenegger’s cocky jock wind up being overly familiar tropes, and aren’t given enough substance to add any extra nuance to the movie’s core conflict. The same can be said of members of the Moxie club, as characters seem only present to represent a single problem, such as issues with the dress code, and resource allocation in boys and girls sports programs. And while you want more from the woke romantic interest (Nico Hiraga), Vivian’s single mother (Amy Poehler), or even the caught-in-the-middle teacher (Ike Barinholtz), there’s a lot that winds up resting on cliches and renders the movie to be a touch too typical.
