Bella’s Score: Good
Rated: PG-13
Plot: Vivian, a shy teenager at Rockport High School, is personally drained from the sexism in her school. Inspired by her mother’s rebellious past and a confident new friend, she creates an anonymously published feminist magazine to lead a female revolution at her school.
Bella’s Verdict: I adored this movie, and it will leave feminists of all ages cheering. It highlights gender discrimation in High School, from sports to dress codes to harassment. This coming-of-age film includes intersectional feminism with a diverse cast, and an excellent representation of what it means to be a teenage girl dealing with sexism in the modern day and age. Fans of Amy Poehler will be delighted, as she directs this film.
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My complaints: It’s not a perfect film; I would almost rather see the film in the eyes of Lucy, who is strong, bold and outspoken from the very beginning. Or Claudia, who shares her story of her mother being an immigrant, and how failing in school isn’t an option. Claudia and Lucy are friends of Vivian. Claudia has been friends with Vivian since forever, and slowly starts to feel replaced by the new girl, Lucy. Even though Vivian through the movie becomes stronger, which is interesting to see, I’d much rather see Lucy or Claudia as a protagonist. One last thing I would change is Vivian’s attitude towards her mother and her boyfriend around the end. I get it, it’s the whole “emotional teen” cliché, but there wasn’t much of a need for it. This is why I rated the movie “Good” instead of “Great”.
Despite these complaints, I thought it was a quality movie for teenage change-makers. Perhaps we could’ve had something a bit better . . . But still, well DONE!
*Trigger warnings for this film: Mentions of sexual assault and harassment.
Isabella (or Bella for short) is an almost 12-year-old writer, student, feminist and superhero enthusiast. She writes primarily about human rights and equity, and is passionate about drawing and learning to play guitar. She currently lives with her Mom, Dad, her pesky brother and her dog Sammy.