Review of Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (2018) by Kendall M — 07 Sep 2018

While having a great storyline, strong cast and potentially fantastic morals for today's version of the "John Hughes Generation"; "Sierra Burgess Is A Loser" falls short of all expectations. A romanticised version of Catfish, begun by "accident" at the hands of the typical high school mean girl (who has a "tragic" family life, how original) descends into a desperate storyline with the ever present pretty boy male lead, "ugly" female lead and "mean girl is actually nice and becomes the BFF" supporting role; grasping at every teen romcom cliche in an attempt to make itself better than it actually is. With a scruffy third act that one might think was hastily written to make a deadline, and has very much a "first draft" feel, a redemption totally undeserved by our leading lady and a finale that feels forced. Once it would be nice to see a third act "sans" redemption for the lead, who has wronged so many and, even though movies are meant to stretch our imaginations and allow us to escape from our realities, a smidgen more reality would not be unwelcome to switch up the dreary, overdone romcom.

By no means was this a bad movie, it just felt like I had seen it fifteen times before.