“Sierra Burgess is a Loser” is a new Netflix original film starring Shannon Purser and directed by Ian Samuels. Purser plays Sierra – a high school senior trying to get into Stanford. She is considered an outsider and while promoting her club, puts her phone number on the school bulletin board. The premise stems from the popular girls pranking Sierra by giving her number to a popular jock.

Sierra figures out she has been pranked when Jamey – played by current rom-com heartthrob Noah Centineo – has no clue what she looks like. Sierra also figures out it was Veronica – played by Kristine Froseth – who pranked her. The two decide to team up to win over their crushes. Sierra tutors Veronica so that she can impress a guy with her knowledge while Veronica helps Sierra “catfish” Jamey.

The plot is one of the oldest in the book: “Man falls in love with ideas and personality and eventually comes to love the woman for her looks”. The writing was a bit cliché. The main problem with the story is that Sierra is essentially catfishing Jamey and is rewarded for it. It seems to wrap up the consequences in a nice tiny bow without any repercussions.

Although the message is a good one – you should always love someone for their character no their looks, there are much better movies that have done this without using such a serious topic as catfishing.

Shannon Purser’s performance is what keeps you focused throughout the movie. She is the only fleshed out character with any depth. I would have loved to see a more thought out way to have Veronica be presented rather than being “the popular girl is rather just uneducated, which is why she’s a cheerleader”.

Jamey does not get much of a story except being good looking and his character is two dimensional. The message the of liking someone for their personality falls apart when the movie does not allow that for its characters. Sierra’s best friend Dan – played by RJ Cyler – is almost useless. Luckily, Cyler is able to lift the material with his charisma.

The script is muddled with serious subplots that are taken very lightly. For example, Sierra going to a party and drinking, falling behind in school, and going on a secret date with Jamey while pretending to be someone she is not. Although Shannon Pursers whimsical smile gives the movie charm, I would not be smiling if I had been deceiving someone throughout my last year of high school.

If you enjoy high school romances where the nerdy quiet girl gets everything she wanted then “Sierra Burgess is a Loser” is for you. Whether she deserves it or not I will leave up to the viewer. The movie is now available to stream on Netlfix.