Agony.
Netflix’s “Sierra Burgess Is A Loser” doesn’t revolve around a relationship stemming from a dating app, but it just might as well.
When the awkward, dorky Sierra (Shannon Purser – yes, Barb from “Stranger Things”) gets a text from a wrong number, she ends up falling for star football player Jamey (Noah Centineo, aka the internet’s new boyfriend), who thinks he’s actually flirting with popular head cheerleader Veronica (Kristine Froseth).
The end result: two strangers developing real, strong feelings despite having never met.
For better or for worse (and sometimes both), here are five ways “Sierra Burgess” (streaming Friday) mirrors the struggles and triumphs of online dating:
every message is a work of poetry – and that’s OK.
It’s tough messaging someone you have little to no prior knowledge of – piquing a person’s interest without coming off as overbearing can be a real struggle. Sierra and Jamey’s relationship starts out with trading goofy photos of animals. Not a declaration of love, by any means, but enough to figure out they share a similar sense of humor. Jamey learns this the hard way after sending a shirtless selfie. It seemed OK at the time, until Sierra takes forever trying to figure out how to respond. He goes through a couple of awkward attempts at a follow-up: “LOL JKKKK” and “Please disregard that last message ahaha” before Sierra keeps the conversation moving with another funny animal pic.
person you’re texting may or may not be getting some help from a friend.
When Jamey asks Sierra to video chat, she enlists Veronica to be the visu- al front of the conversation, while Sierra speaks from behind the computer. Though most people (hopefully) have never gone quite that far to keep up an appearance with a potential significant other, who among us hasn’t enlisted the help of a group chat to craft a quality response?
is real – and it can be a real bummer.
Not everybody online is telling the truth. Your parents have been preaching this one to you for a while, but it doesn’t make it any less disappointing.
might lead you to an unlikely match.
These romantic leads come from two different (albeit cliché) worlds: Sierra, a nerdy marching band member; Jamey, the cool jock from the rival high school. There’s very little chance they would have met in person and an even slimmer one they would have fallen in love. But being able to use your words, rather than being judged by your appearance, can bring unlikely duos together.