Foxfire

REVIEW
A disappointing adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates' novel about a girl gang, Foxfire waters down important issues such as sexual harassment, drug addiction and female teenage angst as it depicts the actions of five rebellious high school girls coming to terms with their identities. Suspended from school for attacking a teacher, these disparate teens embark on a series of crimes that escalate in their severity. Like Girls Town, Foxfire takes the perspective of young women on the verge of adulthood, but much of the drama is heavy-handed and unpleasant. Director Haywood-Carter succeeds in generating a palpable sexual tension between two of the girls, but is unable to coax a single decent performance from the cast. What could have been a fiery display of female solidarity quickly becomes a frustrating one.