Review by coles_notes

Written, created, and directed by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, and starring themselves alongside Emma Stone, and finally produced by all three, we have The Curse, a surreal, satirical behind-the-scenes HGTV show gone wrong, with more subtle narratives and twists than you'd think could fit in 10 one-hour episodes. Again a plot which I could never predict the next turn, literally right through the end, I'm struggling to put to pen what I think of this series, now just over 24 hours since it was finished. It's very weird, and shockingly NSFW at times (warning is a tiny amount of penile nudity if that's not your thing), and touches not only the some of the most morbid or disturbing topics, but also then moves on without making anything clear as a statement or perspective. Not that that's needed, I can appreciate the sincerity, and it took the peak of Fielders credibility to get something wild like this made. Unfortunately, unlike his previous "reality tv" commentary in both Nathan For You and The Rehearsal, I just don't know what he's trying to point out. But whatever it is it feels very heavy, depressing, and deeply unsettling. Emma Stone is definitely the star, her performance is what carries the show and it would be much worse without her, I honestly can't imagine any one else with the ability to commit and nail it. Both Fielder and Safdie seem to play off some of their own natural quirks or personalities so while I expect their acting skills have little range they're obviously perfectly suited for each part they wrote themselves. The directing is also solidly strong, building on the eeriness with lots of longer takes, slow zoom shots building tension, and very often showing scenes via reflections or obfuscated by some foreground object, giving a sense of voyeurism or intrusion. It was unnerving and uncomfortable, and sticks with you after its done, I honestly don't know how I feel, maybe I don't know what's good anymore.