Hello folks! The mid-semester stress is building up and surely you’re all looking for an escape from the never-ending submission and deadlines.
So, what do you turn to? Of course, Netflix!
Movies in a cozy blanket with friends and some buttery popcorn sound like the perfect stress reliever after a long day of work. But the bubble of happiness bursts when you press play on the wrong movie. For instance, Sierra Burgess Is A Loser.
What starts as a routine story of a high school teenager being body shamed by the most popular girl in school, Sierra Burgess Is A Loser turns into a horror for the mind. The storyline lacks any ground in morality, positivity and a reality. The movie begins with the central character, Sierra Burgess, accidentally receiving a text message from Jamey. He was given Sierra’s number instead of Veronica’s, who was trying to get out of going out on a date with him. Sierra begins talking to Jamey as an imposter, pretending to be Veronica. She catfishes him throughout the movie, avoiding his phone calls and physical contact to keep her identity discreet.
Later into the movie, Sierra offers to help Veronica with her assignments in exchange for help to keep up her act with Jamey. Sierra and Veronica gradually become close friends. Veronica, as a favour to Sierra, goes on a date with Jamey. They trick him into kissing Sierra instead of Veronica. The climax sees Sierra ruining her friendship with Veronica and Jamey getting to know Sierra’s real identity. But somehow, the end is romanticised: Sierra and Jamey go out together and she and Veronica become friends again.
Confused?
I’m sure you are.
The plot seems so flawed and morally incorrect. Jamey had no clue about how he was falling for an imposter. He was constantly lied to and betrayed. Sierra and Jamey’s kissing scene is the opposite of adorable; it is unethical and sets a terrible example for young people watching the movie. The foundation of the movie is built on catfishing, which is immoral as a concept. Sierra contradicts herself since she believes that people should not be judged on their looks and yet she goes out of her way to avoid appearing before Jamey as she wasn’t confident about her own appearance. The point of how one should never judge a person based on physical attributes was contradicted by Sierra herself as she never found the courage to present herself before Jamey, simply because she considered appearances to be the chief characteristic of any relation. Sierra and Veronica are extremely manipulative, creating a misleading image of teenage girls. The portrayal of Cyberbullying as a tool for petty revenge is condemnable.
So, if you don’t want to ruin your hard earned break session, definitely skip Sierra Burgess Is A Loser. Instead, kick back with some classic episodes from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and relax!
Edited by Vasudha Malani (UG 2019)