Rom-coms are having a banner year thanks to big screen blockbusters like Crazy Rich Asians and at-home viewing options like Netflix’s surprise cult hit To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and what these warm fuzzy flicks have reminded us of is how much we love this genre.
A good rom-com has so much going for it from ticking all the heart-warming emotional boxes to serious on-screen eye candy (the cast is always so darn good looking) and the fairy-tale happy ending proving true love exists – well, on-screen at least.
But, while re-watching To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is an easy option to satisfy a newly discovered young adult (YA) rom-com addiction, there’s nothing like a new comedic love story to fill your rom-com watching quota. Here, we present five reasons Netflix’s newest original YA rom-com, Sierra Burgess is a Loser, is your next must-watch.
1. Noah Centineo is in it
Need we say more? Probably not, but just in case you’ve missed everything that’s happened on the entire internet and all social media for the past few weeks here’s a refresher: 22-year-old actor Noah Centineo is the star of Netflix’s recent rom-com cult hit To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and since the streamer dropped the movie, everyone on the internet and social media has fallen in love with his character and also him IRL.
Centineo gained over a million followers in one day on the ‘Gram after the streamer released the rom-com and now he’s the internet’s favourite boyfriend.
The 22-year-old heartthrob stars in Netflix’s newest rom-com flick, Sierra Burgess is a Loser, playing the handsome love interest, Jamey.
2. The plot
The comedic missteps that pave the way to happily ever after in this rom-com are based on a case of mistaken identity. This tried-and-test formula is a classic rom-com plot that has worked for many other iconic movies in this genre including Uma Thurman’s 1996 The Truth About Cats & Dogs, 2007 musical rom-com Enchanted starring five-time Oscar-nominated actress Amy Adams and Sandra Bullock’s While You Were Sleeping.
3. It’s a modern retelling of a classic story
Who doesn’t love an updated take on a classic story? We were all here for Clueless which is, of course, Jane Austen’s Emma transplanted to 1995 Beverly Hills, and we all loved the modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Taming of The Shrew, 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger.
Sierra Burgess is a Loser is another updated take on a classic, this time the play Cyrano de Bergerac. Where the protagonist in Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play is a gentlemen who likes a girl but doesn’t think she’ll like him back, so he convinces a good looking gent to pretend to be him, Sierra Burgess is a Loser’s does a gender flip placing a high school girl, Sierra (played by Shannon Purser), in the lead role with Jamey (Noah Centineo) the object of her affection and Veronica (played by Kristine Froseth) the beautiful-but-mean cheerleader Sierra convinces to pretend to be her.
4. Chrissy Metz from This Is Us plays a hilarious ‘mumager’
Chrissy Metz, one of the stars of tear-jerking drama show This Is Us, doesn’t have a huge amount of screen time in the film but when she does, it’s dynamite. Metz plays Trish, Veronica’s bitter, hectic pageant ‘mumager’ who champions cheerleading over study and joins other extreme on-screen mums, like Regina George’s mum (played by Amy Poehler) in Mean Girls, in the hall of how-not-to-parent fame.
5. The on-screen friendships will give you warm fuzzy feelings
Sierra and her best buddy Dan (played by RJ Cyler) have a fantastic fun friendship the envy of real-life relationships everywhere. During the course of the movie Sierra and Dan face ups and downs and feelings get hurt but at the end of the day, the flick cements the priceless value of having good friends in your corner.
