2 out of 5

Created by: Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie

I would not hesitate to rewatch The Curse. I think it’s both a conceptually and directly interesting show, worthy of attention and analysis from fans of its cocreators, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, for how it fits into their individual oeuvres.

But it’s also indirectly and directly frustrating in its caginess, drawing a meta line that unclearly aims the commentary at culture, at media itself, or at the viewer, and while that gray area is especially where Nathan likes to hang out – and that I often love – The Curse’s tone feels more happenstance: like the creators knew the outline of their idea but not its exact substance beyond some set details, and filled in things as they went. This is very “real” feeling for that reason, which vibes with its documentary-of-a-reality show setup, but makes for a problematically bumpy experience when turned into a ten episode series. That is: carved down to a movie or much shorter series, the more solid story points plus that improvisational-esque inbetweens could have more poignantly bounced off each other. But as presented, there’s not much sense of a point, episode by episode; it could have gone on forever except for its predetermined end.

I also think this format makes the discrepancy between scripted and not a bit too wide: the show swerves hard for a handful of jokes (or “jokes”) that certainly thematically fit the series or characters, and / or function well as anti-humor, but either seem like relics of a different-genred show, or lose steam in the way they’re essentially repeated without evolution.

Ultimately, I was left with big feeling of Why? Not regarding the show’s enigatic details, necessarily, but just a lack of certainty that there was a reason for it to exist, especially in its exact form, which has some ironic parallels to its themes…

But again, I also enjoyed watching The Curse, and would easily go again to better discuss the context or subtext – beyond some surface level obviousness – I’m missing.

In The Curse, Whitney (Emma Stone) and Asher (Fielder) Siegel are prepping an HGTV reality show covering their attempt at landscaping the small community of Española, New Mexico with “passive” homes – homes that are intended to be energy neutral. Representing various forms of privilege and ignorance, Whitney vacillates between and amidst Karen-adjacent reactions, solving problems with money, and shifting her behaviors based on trying to be liked – including by the cameras. Asher, struggling with expressions of masculinity, tries to project confidence in various cringey ways, also wanting to be liked – primarily by Whitney – but prone to angry outbursts when either cornered, or when that masculinity would typically be employed.

That the locals cannot afford the homes is buried beneath Whitney’s shortsighted philanthropy and Asher’s crumbling grasp of finances. Other attempts at revitalizing – opening an expensive clothing boutique; employing the locals, but swapping them out for more photogenic options – are continually justified with Greater Good logics, while director Dougie (Safdie) is happy to stage and encourage drama for the show.

This is what encourages a setup that ends up in the daughter of Abshir (Barkhad Abdi), hawking some items in a parking lot, paid for by Asher, who then, cameras off, rescinds the cash. The young girl (Hikmah Warsame) “curses” Asher; it’s just a tik-tok trend, but it plays at heart of Asher’s insecurities, and as things continue not going well – personally, for the couple, for the show – he starts to take it seriously.

But, I mean, the curse also fades into the background. Some episodes are just about Dougie forcefully telling people his DUI offenses aren’t an issue – proving it by blowing into a breathalyzer when behind the wheel – or Whitney stumbling over terminology in forced attempts at being an ally to the native population, or Asher discussing his comfort with his micro-penis. A lot of this is cringe to the extreme; much flirts with Fielder’s breed of pseudo reality; and the voyeuristic POV camera which captures all of this (which may or may not be part of the “explanation” of what’s happening) vibes with Safdie’s style; all of this masterfully underlined by a creepy – but not kitschily so – score from Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) and John Medeski.

I can thus backwards analyze how all of this justifies itself, and comment on how I’m questioning that Why but I still watched; or I can just report that The Curse is a series with a lot to say about nothing in particular – it’s a slowburn to a pretty stunningly effective final episode, but one that further questions the exact necessity of the path there. I laughed and cringed appropriately, but I’m also shrugging my shoulders.

Alternately, maybe it’s brilliant.