- This movie is at its best when it’s the story of harassed, assaulted, and occasionally raped girls fighting back against both their aggressors and a 1950s society that would enable those aggressors, and at its worst when it inevitably goes exactly where you know it will go from the start. Foxfire doesn’t start out as a gang so much as a mutual protection society and a teenage guerrilla graffiti club; the girls use what little agency and tactics they can to deal with their dead end town and the horrible misogynists it creates, culminating in fantastic little moments like the one where the girls coolly drive past the town louts who no longer hold any power over them.
- The Lady Fight Club portion of the film is engaging, but when it turns into Lord of the Flies territory I wasn’t terribly interested. No one would be shocked that their final act of rebellion goes so horribly wrong, as that’s exactly the moment the movie was working towards for two-plus hours prior to that. When, in the Ten Years Later scenes, it’s revealed that Legs is probably engaging in guerrilla warfare in Cuba, I kind of wanted to die.
- Most (all?) of the actors were unknowns who had never acted before; for the most part the acquit themselves fairly well and the chemistry between the girls is generally pretty good, but occasionally there are moments that make you feel like you’re in a high school gym watching an awkward production on a multi-use stage.
- I did appreciate that the teenagers were very teenager-y in this, i.e. they think they can do a better job raising themselves on their own in a weird rented farmhouse only to realise that, like, money is a real life issue and living on your own is not all fun and games. Oh, teens, why don’t you think things through more thoroughly?
- While violence is usually not the answer, I feel like there are more than a few good takeaways for young women learning how to negotiate being female amongst those who feel entitled to your time and body.
- I’m not convinced this needs to be nearly two-and-a-half hours long.
- The title made me think of Fox Force Five, and in turn Spice Force Five. You’re welcome.
Categories: 3 Stars