Written by Michael Vacchiano
It’s a Carrie and Juno sundae, with just a little bit of Spider-man sprinkles on top. Ice cream analogies aside, the latest Netflix original series I Am Not Okay with This does indeed have a lot of different genre elements to it. With its full debut season available to stream, the unique coming-of-age series does a great job representing teenage angst and the trials of high school. The ambitious side of the show involves incorporating a superhero origin-type story with this homage to the John Hughes film catalogue, and the results are far from perfect. Nonetheless, the main protagonist of Not Okay and the young leading lady who plays her makes it essential viewing.
Sydney Novak (Sophia Lillis, It: Chapter 2) is an average seventeen year old girl living in the fading suburban town of Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Her scenario, however, is far from typical, as she is one year removed from her father committing suicide. She is still unable to emotionally address his death and is constantly fighting with her overworked mother (Kathleen Rose Perkins, Colony). On top of that, Sydney is wrestling with her possible romantic feelings for her best friend Dina (Sofia Bryant, Blue Bloods), who is now dating obnoxious jock Brad Lewis (Richard Ellis, Veronica Mars). Sydney reluctantly attempts to cope with her anger by writing in a diary at the request of her school guidance counselor. Her entries serve as the show’s narration…oh, and she soon discovers that she has telekinetic powers tied to her emotional outbursts. Got all that?
The series is adapted from the comic book of the same name by Charles Forsman, but nonreaders can find even further insight from other Netflix originals. Not Okay comes to us from the creators of the network’s smash hit Stranger Things and the British-made dramedy The End of the F***ing World. So if it seems like the showrunners are trying really hard to have the best of everything, it’s probably because they are. The entire proceedings don’t always balance out or go as smoothly as they may hope for, at least not in the debut season. Fortunately, this first installment is only a tightly structured seven episodes, lasting around 20-30 minutes each. Relatively breezy for binge watching, even if it seems like a prolonged setup for Sydney’s “superhero” side to begin to take shape.
Despite its bumpy first season, the adventure of Not Okay’s angsty heroine is still an adventure well worth taking due to Lillis herself. The actress first gained notice as the young Beverly Marsh in 2017’s It and its sequel. Following appearances as Amy Adams’ teenage self in Sharp Objects and in this year’s horror fairy tale Gretel & Hansel, Lillis gets her greatest showcase yet with the role of Sydney. She combines sarcastic and witty narration with a realistic portrayal of all the insecurities that teenage girls tend to face in their adolescence. As if body image and sexual awakening weren’t enough, the actress adeptly handles her character’s fear and anxiety regarding her newly discovered powers. Lillis’ immense talent and likability are the biggest selling points for Not Okay’s whole premise, and she proves herself yet again as a future star to keep an eye on.
The rest of the cast, apart from the lead, are not given as much to do with this shortened season, with one notable exception. Lillis’s fellow It costar Wyatt Oleff is the series’ other standout as Sydney’s slacker/nerd neighbor Stanley Barber. Despite not reciprocating his outright crush on her, Sydney still becomes drawn to his laid-back persona and ability to find happiness in their dreary small-town life. Stanley also proves to be quite supportive as he happens upon one of Sydney’s super-powered outbursts, becoming her unlikely confidant. Oleff almost (but not quite) steals the show from Lillis, thanks in part to the actors’ real-life friendship and chemistry being on full display in every scene. The “Losers Club” alums get more time on screen together than their previous collaborations, and Stanley’s eventual role as Sydney’s proverbial sidekick is well developed by season’s end.
With the seemingly infinite number of Netflix original shows that are available for viewing, I Am Not Okay with This deserves credit for at least being different despite its flaws. The coming-of-age series is not always cohesive with the superhero origin tropes it mixes in, especially with a season-ending cliffhanger that almost comes out of nowhere. Luckily for its creators, the fantastic young actress at the forefront is more than enough reason to give it a try. While its first season is far from perfect, my interest for next season is piqued regardless…and yours truly is more than okay with that.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
I Am Not Okay With This is currently streaming on Netflix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9vp9lhZiqU
