REVERSE THE CURSE -- A Powerful Rumination on Regret

Review by Jonathan Berk

The parasitic relationship people have with their favorite sports teams is easily observable. When the team is winning, the fans tend to reflect the positive emotions we associate with victory and success. If their team is losing, they tend to take out their frustrations wherever and whenever they see fit. That only gets worse if your team is “cursed.” David Duchovny set out to knock his new film, Reverse the Curse, over the Green Monster as writer, director, and one of the main stars. 

Ted (Logan Marshall-Green) is at a loss for what to do with his life until he finds out his estranged father, Marty (Duchovny), has been diagnosed with a fatal illness. Ted observes that his dad’s illness elevates every time his beloved Boston Red Sox lose, so he develops a plan to make him happy and keep him alive. He reaches out to Marty's grief counselor (Stephanie Beatriz) and his neighborhood friends to fake a Red Sox winning streak.
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There are often allegations of emotional manipulation for movies that want to make you cry. Duchovny's film has a few moments where that may feel like a valid complaint, but ultimately, the story is attempting to tug at the audience's heartstrings. If it succeeds, as it did with me, you'll probably walk away with a bit of love for the film — even if a bit begrudgingly. However, as more time passes since the credits rolled, the more I feel the film has earned its major emotional beats. ​

It's hard to pinpoint which character is the heart of the film. Logan Marshall-Green is at the center and does a terrific job playing Ted, a pothead writer with daddy issues. Ted’s emotional journey serves as the hub for which the other characters are connected to. Still, there is something very special about Duchovny's performance and character that makes it hard not to argue in favor of it as the true heart of the film. Of course, Stephanie Beatriz truly makes the most of every scene she is in, and her character's arc is the one that made me shed real tears. The three make an emotional trinity of the father, son, and silly jokes. 
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The theme that resonates the most in the film is regret. All three characters have something from their past that is haunting them in the present. Some of those moments are on the surface, but a lot is bubbling underneath. This is mirrored in the well-known mythology of the Boston Red Sox's curse and how it loomed over the team for almost a century. It's hard to say if the team or the fans were impacted the most by the lack of a winning season for so long. Duchovny’s decision to wrap these characters' personal curses with the teams was effective. 

The period elements in the film add an interesting aesthetic to the story being told. The '70s clothes and cars add that sense of nostalgic longing that is easily associated with regret. Each character is clinging to their past struggles and trying to make sense of the present. These elements mesh well together to establish the vibe.

Reverse the Curse is an emotional drama full of heart and humor. Duchovny manages to bring some heavy emotional content with enough levity to keep it palatable. Ultimately, the reliability of the characters and the dynamics between them really make it work. 
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Reverse the Curse will be in theaters and on VOD on June 14. 

Rating: 3.5/5