As of now, most teenage girls have watched "Sierra Burgess Is A Loser" on Netflix, probably because we all have a love for high school romances and Noah Centineo's face. I was interested in the film after watching "To All The Boys I Loved Before" because it was the definition of a fantastic teen love story. So, when I saw another Netflix love story that also featured Noah Centineo, I was all in. However, the film was right, Sierra Burgess is a loser. The film had a perfect opportunity to showcase a plus size teen girl dealing with relationships in high school but turned into a catfishing fiasco stuffed with backhanded confidence and offensive underlying messages.
1. She is introduced as an average teenage girl.
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The film begins with Sierra getting ready for the day. As she gets out of the shower, they show a shot of her feet, which is something not everyone pays much attention to. However, for me, I notice that her legs and ankles aren't super tiny, which is something I can relate to because I am also a plus size teen. She looks at herself in the mirror, wet hair and all, and positively affirms herself, something that I totally appreciate. If the film would've continued on this route, I would've loved it.
2. The bullying is unnecessary.
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What's a high school movie without some bullying? Well, in this case, it is so unnecessary. Sierra gets bullied for her appearance but only by the classic mean girl, Veronica. No one else really seems to care about her appearance. She isn't ugly, Sierra was actually fairly pretty. Sure, she was a little awkward but why does the attention of being plus size always have to be taken in a negative way?
3. Meeting Jamey was actually meant to make fun of her.
The whole reason Sierra even gets Jamey's number is that Veronica was making fun of her. I understand that this was just a part of the bullying but the entire situation was doomed from the beginning. After Sierra realized that Jamey was not actually expecting to talk to her, she should have admitted the truth. Who knows? Maybe he would've liked her? I mean it was her personality that won him over, even if he was imagining Veronica's face.
4. The whole basis behind the lying was because she was ashamed of her appearance.
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Again, going back to her appearance, SIERRA WAS NOT UNATTRACTIVE. However, the classic skinny, popular girl seemed more appealing, yet I do believe that if Jamey knew it was actually Sierra, he would have been down for it. But, because her hair, her makeup, and her body isn't "perfect," she feels the need to lie.
If I watched this movie as an insecure teenager, what would it have taught me? That if you don't look like a Veronica and more like a Sierra, the best option is to lie about who you truly are. Um, no. Wrong answer.
5. Then, she has this crazy breakdown.
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Honey, no. We all understand that everyone has insecurities, but what happened to the magnificent beast at the beginning of the film? Where did she go?
Go and get your Jamey already, be proud of your appearance. You're great.
6. "You're not exactly everyone's type, but you're my type."
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I'm sorry, but no girl wants to hear, "You're not exactly everyone's type." I know that is endearing because he actually ends up liking her. Yet, why was that necessary whatsoever? If you like her, you like her. There was absolutely no need to bring up her insecurities. I just think that this should not have been the resolution. I believe there was a perfect opportunity for him to say something like, "I like you because you're you," or "You're perfect to me." His approach just seems like a backhanded compliment.
At the end of the day, sure, Jamey and Sierra end up together. However, why does a movie about a plus size girl have to only cater to her personality? I'm sorry, but this is showing a completely negative light on the topic.
It tells plus size girls that they will only be loved for their personality and not their appearance. But, I would like to say, all women are beautiful and I want to see a movie where the boy falls for her, for all of her, not just for her personality. Make that and I guarantee it would have done WAY better than this mess of a movie. Even comparing it to "To All The Boys I Loved Before," she wasn't perfect. Lara Jean was quiet, shy, and very reserved. She was beautiful but not known for being the prettiest girl at school. In fact, she usually went unnoticed. However, she still gets the hot jock that everyone teenage girl dreams of.
Overall, "Sierra Burgess Is A Loser" had the potential to inspire young women, yet I finished the movie feeling more insecure than when I started.
