“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” is a Netflix production that was released in August of this year and was produced by Thad Luckinbill. The production focuses on Sierra Burgess (played by Shannon Purser) a girl who struggles with insecurities about her weight as well as the overwhelming crush she has on her internet pen – pal Jamey (played by Noah Centineo) the quarterback and typical ‘boy next door.’

Netlfix’s run of the mill teen movie has its fair share of cutesy moments and common tropes but eventually falls flat for viewers.

Burgess begins an online love affair with Jamey after he mistakenly texts the wrong number, hoping to win over the head cheerleader of Burgess’s high school, Veronica (Kristine Froseth). Burgess’s loneliness overtakes her and she takes on the persona of Veronica. The two teens begin an awkward infatuation with each other, and at certain scenes I found myself cringing at emotional gaslighting on Burgess’s side.

Burgess takes advantage of Jamey throughout the movie, at one point kissing him as she covers his eyes, attempting to convince him that it’s the beautiful Veronica he’s on a date with. This movie, unintentionally, brings attention to the lack of awareness for sexual harassment towards men.

The movie would have been a hit for me if it focused more on the relationship between Burgess and Veronica. Towards the begin of the movie, it’s easy to see that there is no love lost between the two, but their relationship develops and blossoms as they begin to get to know each other. The heart of the movie really lies in the growing friendship between the two adversaries, not in the adolescent awkwardness that is Burgess and Jamey.

The main message of the movie, that a girl with a waist larger than 20 inches can eventually find love, was endearing, but it was the way that the writers went about proving this is what ruined the movie. “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” is a mediocre coming – of – age story with a good message but poorly written script.