Title: Sierra Burgess is a Loser
Released: August 30, 2018
Produced by: Ian Samuels
Access on: Netflix
Netflix Summary: A wrong-number text sparks a virtual romance between a smart but unpopular teen and a sweet jock who thinks he’s talking to a gorgeous cheerleader.
Gaze Theory: The very beginning of the film is a perfect example of gaze theory. The opening shot shows Sierra’s feet and legs as she steps out of the shower. The audience slowly sees more and more of her body. The next shot is an image of just her upper chest and neck without showing her face. She is then shown gently touching her shoulders and running her hands through her hair. While these shots of her body play across the screen, the audience never sees her face. Then, her entire body is shown from the back and side as she looks at herself in the mirror. Finally the audience is introduced to Sierra Burgess and is shown her face. This scene is meant to emphasize her body as she is not the typical image of ‘attractiveness’. However, these images objectify her and diminish her to how she looks and her body. Although there aren’t really sexual undertones, which could be attributed to the fact that she is not the classic image of female attractiveness, she is still objectified and judged solely based on her appearance during this opening scene.
There are also instances of sexualization and objectification through Veronica’s character. Often Veronica sexualizes and objectifies herself because she believes this is how boys will be interested in her. When Sierra is texting Jamey, Veronica suggests that they send him a nude because, “…everyone’s like that.” The photo she ends up sending is extremely provocative. She is pulling on her bra strap and biting her finger in order to oversexualize herself because this is what ‘boys want’.
Goffmanian Analysis: This film is a great example of both contradicting and maintaining goffmanian analysis. First, the main character Sierra, is larger in height and weight. She is not depicted as the stereotypical female who is skinny, tall but shorter than the male characters. This can be a contradiction of relative size, when female characters are pictured as much smaller than their male counterparts. However, there are two depictions that maintain the stereotypes presented in goffmanian analysis. As described previously there are two scenes that present feminine touch. The opening scene of Sierra getting out of the shower depicts this when she is gently brushing her shoulder and running her fingers through her hair. Also, the photo that Veronica takes to send to Jamey is an example of feminine touch and licensed withdrawal. She gently bites her own finger and pulls on her bra strap. She also has a turned and slightly tilted head to invite the audience to look upon her.
Effects: Although the film resists some stereotypes regarding gender, there are still instances that uphold gender norms and stereotypes. The main character is not the stereotypical attractive girl which creates a more diverse cast; however, her looks are the main focus of her character. She is also entirely focused on obtaining the love of Jamey and is fulfilled when he is interested in her. This can send a message that all people are worthy of love but also that only skinny girls are beautiful. In addition, the sexualization and objectification that is displayed in this film can be dangerous. Teenage girls may view this type of behavior as normal, but also hopefully as unnecessary.
Shared by: Olivia Smidel
Image Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3120280/