Neflix’s ‘Sierra Burgess Is a Loser’ is a sweet and deep rom com movie

Netflix

• “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” is the latest Netflix
  original teen rom-com and dropped Friday.
• It stars Shannon Purser, a.k.a. Barb from “Stranger
  Things.”
• It’s a charming little movie that focuses more on the
  female friendship than the romance, which is what makes it
  special. 

On Friday, “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser,” yet another teen rom-com,
became available on Netflix. And it stars Noah Centineo, the same
male love interest as the streamer’s last rom-com hit, “To All
the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” is a sweet little movie that stands
out among Netflix’s others for its bold decision to put its
female characters first. It’s a movie about female friendship
with a romance on the side. 

The premise is not unusual, but the way it approaches it is. And
it starts with the main character. Sierra Burgess, a teenage girl
who is insecure about her talent and body, is played by Shannon
Purser (a.k.a. Barb from “Stranger Things”) who Hollywood has
conditioned people into thinking doesn’t belong in a leading
role. Her nemesis, Veronica (Kristine Froseth), is a tiny,
popular cheerleader. 

At the beginning of the movie, Veronica, who bullies Sierra,
gives Jamey (a gorgeous guy on the football team) Sierra’s
number, pretending it’s her own. So Sierra pretends to be
Veronica on the phone with Jamey. They hit it off. So Sierra
doesn’t get caught, she makes a deal with Veronica: If she
doesn’t say anything, she’ll help her study. 

You probably think you know what goes on from there. And you know
some of it. Jamey finds out, and there is a happy ending.

But what happens in between makes it a better movie. Sierra’s
body is never used as a joke, as it might in other comedies
starring a woman of her size. And Jamey, a sensitive football
player, is not the focus of the story. He’s what brings Sierra
and Veronica together. As Sierra sees what Veronica deals with at
home, and Veronica sees how Sierra struggles with constant jabs
simply because of her body, they become friends. I’m not
condoning catfishing, because what they do to Jamey is wrong, but
doing so helps Sierra and Veronica become aware of the
insecurities that turned them against each other.  

“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” is its own deep movie with a new tone
and purpose, but it’s still reminiscent of John Hughes films,
especially “Sixteen Candles.” So it makes sense that Alan Ruck —
Cameron from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” — plays Sierra’s dad.
Ruck will probably join the dads from “Eighth Grade” and “To All
the Boys I’ve Loved Before” in the little group of 2018 movie
dads the internet is obsessed with right now. 

The movie also very realistically depicts something that will
always relate to most people, no matter how technology changes: a
long phone call with someone you like but are still getting to
know. Purser and Centineo play off each other perfectly in these
drawn out and intentionally awkward scenes, even though they’re
not in the same room.

Confronting insecurities and becoming friends with your bully is
quite dark. But RJ Cyler, who plays Sierra’s best friend, Dan,
carries the comedy while letting Purser carry the movie. 

“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” is heavy on the darker themes, but
its stars, especially Purser, give it lot of heart that will make
you want to rewatch it instantly.