Film Review

By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Foxfire
Directed by Annette Haywood-Carter
Columbia TriStar Home Video 08/96 DVD/VHS Feature Film
R - teen nudity, drug use, strong language, some violent situations

The lives of four high school girls are irrevocably changed in Foxfire. The catalyst for this transformation is Legs Sadovsky (Angelina Jolie), a charismatic and self-created drifter who gathers them together and convinces them to stand with each other. When Rita (Jenny Lewis) confesses that she's been sexually harassed by her biology teacher, Maddy (Hedy Burress), Violet (Sarah Rosenberg), and Goldie (Jenny Shimizu) rally around her. Sparked by the defiant Legs, they expose the teacher, but then are suspended from school. The girls form their own private society in an abandoned house where they share stories, concoct several pranks, and engage in a bonding ritual.

This strangely compelling film is based on a novel by Joyce Carol Oates. First-time director Annette Haywood-Carter emphasizes the delight these young women take in discovering their solidarity and their capacity for anarchy. Through the eyes of Maddy, we are reminded of how susceptible all of us are to rebels who act out life's larger possibilities. Although these unusual individuals often cross the line and go too far, they inspire us with their reckless abandon and their celebration of originality.

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by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat