Being the dominant streaming platform, Netflix has recently begun filling the void of films targeted solely towards teenage audiences, developing many projects dedicated toward teen romcoms that can will be shown endlessly at slumber parties for years to come. The most recent example of this trend is with Ian Samuels’ Sierra Burgess is a Loser. Featuring Netflix alumni like Shannon Purser (Stranger Things) and Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I Loved Before), the one element that makes the film somewhat special is Sierra Burgess herself. While the high school outcast is a character trope that has been done a countless number of times in the past, Purser plays Burgess like a loser, but also a rather confident teenager. She’s cunning, witty, and always willing to crack jokes toward the bullies in front of her, and Shannon Purser is excellent in the role.

Which is quite depressing considering Sierra Burgess‘ actual plot is not only clunky, but also attempts to romanticize catfishing. Working as a modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac, the film follows Burgess, an unpopular girl who manages to get the number of the kind, handsome jock named Jamey, played by Noah Centino, only to discover that he believes he’s talking to popular mean girl and bully Veronica, played by Kristine Forseth, who gave Jamey Sierra’s number because she finds Jamey to be a loser and she follows the idea that only losers hang out with losers. When Sierra finds out that Jamey was lied to, she later teams up with her former rival in keeping the lie going, as the two soon begin to learn more about one another and bond over what is effectively catfishing some poor unsuspecting boy.

The film does somewhat try to acknowledge the creepy behavior of its protagonists, but it never quite goes all the way. The audience is still expected to root for these girls, and while both actresses are talented and have decent chemistry, it’s really hard to be happy for them when they are lying about Sierra’s identity, and generally seem okay with the idea.

Doesn’t help the rest of the writing isn’t all that strong, especially the comedy. Most of the attempts at humor don’t land at all, in spite of having talented, funny actors such as RJ Cyler as Sierra’s friend Dan, Loretta Devine as Sierra’s English teacher Mrs. Thomson, and Chrissy Metz as Veronica’s pageant mom Trish. In many cases, some of the comedy tries to be more edgy and offensive, including transphobic and lesbophobic remarks towards Sierra, as well as Sierra pretending to be deaf when meeting Jamey in order to avoid Jamey hear her speak. The latter part was quite infuriating as someone who is disabled, and it’s a shame the film went that route, especially since the film did actually cast a deaf actor in the film.

While one can appreciate what Ian Samuels was going for, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser still doesn’t quite work. The script felt like a first draft rather than a final copy, and while there’s some solid acting and direction, it’s hard to justify the creative decisions the film meant, as some of the film’s more difficult and problematic topics do not receive the nuance and respect they deserve.