I Am Not Okay with This is an intense ride told from the perspective of a small town girl contemplating her first crush, her next door neighbor, who sees the world in an openly honest & fun manner, and the loss of her father, while living with a mother she resents and a brother she loves.
Mouthfull, right? No worries, there’s more where this came from.
As cheesy as it sounds, the heart of I Am Not Okay with This is based in friendship. It’s what drives the story forward, what makes you fall in love with these characters and the bonds they share, and what sets the stakes for the entirety of the show.
It’s also what makes the show so damn strong and worth watching.
Sydney, our leading lady played by Sophia Lillis, is at the center of it all. Her friendship with Dina being a huge part of why and how her powers develop. Which, we totally won’t get into because this is spoiler free and we don’t want the Netflix overlords mad.
Plus sometimes you’ve got to experience things yourself to understand why they’re so special.
Her friendship with local nerd Stanley is also a major part of Sydney’s story-line. He acts as her confidant, her Obi Wan, that ends up helping Sydney in unexpected but amazing ways. And I’ve got to admit that watching Sydney, Dina, and Stanley working together is a sight to behold and something quite unforgettable and hilarious.
I will say this, trigger warnings are needed for I Am Not Okay With This, particularly suicide. Just know that if you’re going to watch I Am Not Okay With This, you’ll be dealing with a loss that hits close to home and doesn’t disappear after the first episode. It persists, becomes part of the story, and remains there.
Now, onto why you need to watch.
You need to watch I Am Not Okay with This to connect with Sydney, her loneliness, and bond with Dina. You need to watch I Am Not Okay with This to understand what causes a young woman to break and crack open the abilities that she didn’t even know she had inside.
And finally, you need to watch I Am Not Okay with This because it’s Stranger Things meets Carrie with a side of The End of the Fucking World. Never thought a combination like that would be possible? Well it is and it thrives because of how weird, detailed, and crazy it is.
Sydney running down the street covered in blood is just the beginning of it all and we are all blessed to have Sophia Lillis in our lives. She gives one of the best performances in her young career in Im Not Okay with This and leaves you wanting a second season asap.
I Am Not Okay with This premieres February 26, 2020 on Netflix.
