Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Jinxed (2013) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Jinxed (2013) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 70 mins · English
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
Stephen Herek
Starring
Burkely Duffield, Ciara Bravo, Keegan Connor Tracy, Elena Kampouris, Jack Griffo, Jay Brazeau

The Murphy family suffers from an extraordinary amount of bad luck, stemming from a centuries-old curse placed upon their ancestor by a witch. After another unfortunate accident destroys their home, they relocate to their grandfather's house in Harvest Hills. There, teenager Meg Murphy finds herself facing not only continued misfortune but also her nemesis, Ivy. A budding romance with a local boy, Brett, complicates matters further when he inadvertently casts a love spell on her. Determined to break the family curse and finally experience a normal life, Meg, with the help of her brother Charlie, must confront the magical hex that has plagued their family for generations.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (8)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

8 main characters · contains spoilers

Jinxed Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Jinxed (2013), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Tommy Murphy (Burkely Duffield)

    In 1913, Tommy is the town's luckiest man whose joy turns to despair when a public humiliation triggers a curse on his line. Obsessed with righting the wrong and reconciling with Caitlin, he remains romantic and hopeful even as misfortune compounds. His arc anchors the backstory that motivates Meg to break the spell decades later.

    • 🌀 Curse
    • ❤️ Romance
    • 😢 Tragedy
  • Meg Murphy (Ciara Bravo)

    Meg is the determined great-great-granddaughter who refuses to accept a cursed fate. She cracks her great-great-grandfather's diary and teams with her brother to retrieve the lucky coin, orchestrating a plan to end the curse. Her curiosity and resilience drive the modern quest, revealing loyalty to family and friends.

    • 🎯 Determined
    • 🧩 Ingenious
    • 🤝 Collaborative
  • Mrs. Murphy (Keegan Connor Tracy)

    The present-day matriarch who anchors the family in tough times, offering support and practical advice. She navigates the chaos caused by the curse while keeping Meg focused on the goal of breaking it. Her protective stance reinforces the theme of family bonds.

    • 👩‍👧‍👦 Matriarch
    • 🛡️ Protective
    • 🤝 Supportive
  • Ivy Murray (Elena Kampouris)

    A former mean girl who is revealed to be a Caitlin descendant, Ivy starts as a rival to Meg but grows into a crucial ally. Her vulnerability surfaces as the curse touches her life, prompting empathy and a shift toward teamwork. She becomes a key partner in breaking the spell.

    • 😡 Mean
    • 👯‍♀️ Rivalry
    • 💡 Insight
  • Brett O'Leary (Jack Griffo)

    Descendant of Caitlin who becomes Meg's love interest and a catalyst for the film's events. He helps Meg by returning the coin and supporting the race to the ceremony, even as the curse tests their fate. His involvement ties Caitlin's past to the present romance.

    • 💘 Love Interest
    • 🧭 Catalyst
    • ⚡️ Chaos
  • Grandpa (Jay Brazeau)

    The family elder who embodies memory and wisdom, hinting at the chain of misfortune and offering guidance from the shadows. He guards family lore and may provide crucial context about the diary and the coin. His presence links generations and grounds the story in shared history.

    • 👴 Elder
    • 🗃️ Keeper
    • 🧭 Guiding
  • Dad (Donavon Stinson)

    Meg and Charlie's father figure in the modern day, who supports his children as they navigate the curse's fallout. He represents ordinary resilience amid extraordinary magical events. His steady presence helps anchor the family during chaotic misadventures.

    • 👨 Father
    • 🤝 Supportive
    • 🛠️ Practical
  • Charlie Murphy (Jacob Bertrand)

    Meg's brother, a quick-witted ally who reads Tommy's diary and helps move the plot forward. He uncovers the diary's clues, contributing to the plan to retrieve and return the coin, even as the situation grows more chaotic. His curiosity propels the modern investigation into the family legacy.

    • 🧠 Clever
    • 🧭 Seeker
    • 🤝 Partner

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:40

Was this helpful?

Setting

Where and When Does Jinxed Take Place?

The setting of Jinxed (2013): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1913; 2013

The film alternates between 1913, when a chance encounter at the town festival ignites a curse, and roughly a century later (around 2013), where Meg and her family attempt to reverse it. The past frames the present through diaries and artifacts, while the modern era intensifies the stakes with science camp breakthroughs and urban school life.

Location

1913 town festival, Harvest Hills Historical Museum, Grand Canyon, Local hospital

The story moves between a 1913 town during a bustling festival and a modern era centered on Meg's quest to lift a centuries-old curse. Key locations include the Harvest Hills Historical Museum, where the cursed coin and Tommy's diary are kept, as well as hospital scenes and a Grand Canyon vacation that intensify the misfortune. These places ground the tale in small-town roots while setting the stage for magical misadventures that span generations.

  • 🏛️ Historic
  • 🗺️ Scenic
  • ⚡ Supernatural

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:40

Was this helpful?

3 major themes

Jinxed Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Jinxed (2013) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Curse & Luck

    A single humiliating moment in 1913 births a curse that travels through time, turning luck into a dangerous force for the Murphy family. The lucky coin and Tommy's diary become conduits of fate, pulling Meg into a quest that tests trust and resilience. The film explores how misfortune often masks deeper desires, shaping relationships rather than negating them. The tension between fate and agency drives the emotional core of the story.

  • Inheritance

    The curse appears hereditary, passing from Caitlin's line to Meg and Charlie through artifacts and secrets. Meg's research and Charlie's discovery reveal a lineage that binds past to present. Reconciliation requires confronting family history rather than erasing it. The theme shows that identity is shaped as much by ancestry as by choice.

  • Friendship & Unity

    The story culminates in an alliance between Meg and Ivy, transforming rivalry into cooperation. They join forces to reverse the coin's mischief, racing to the closing ceremony. The film highlights how empathy, humor, and teamwork can defy a seemingly preordained curse. In the end, friendship becomes as powerful as magic in rewriting a family's fortune.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:40

Was this helpful?

Character & theme questions

Jinxed Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Jinxed (2013): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Jinxed set?

The movie primarily takes place in Harvest Hills, a small town that serves as the Murphy family's new home after their house is destroyed by a series of unfortunate accidents. Key locations include the Harvest Hills Historical Museum, which houses the cursed coin and Tommy's diary, as well as a local hospital and the Grand Canyon where the family's misfortune intensifies.

  • harvest hills
  • setting
  • museum
  • small town
Q2

What time periods does the movie cover?

Jinxed alternates between two time periods: 1913, when a public humiliation at a town festival first triggers the Murphy family curse, and roughly a century later around 2013, where Meg and her family attempt to reverse the spell. The past is revealed through Tommy's diary and artifacts that connect the historical events to the present-day quest.

  • 1913
  • 2013
  • timeline
  • historical flashback
  • time period
Q3

What is the Murphy family curse about?

The Murphy family suffers from an inherited curse placed on their ancestor Tommy Murphy in 1913 after a humiliating public moment at a town festival turned his luck to misfortune. The curse passes down through generations via a lucky coin and family secrets, causing the Murphys to experience extraordinary bad luck in everything they do.

  • curse
  • bad luck
  • family curse
  • Tommy Murphy
  • lucky coin
Q4

Who is Meg Murphy?

Meg Murphy is the teenage protagonist and great-great-granddaughter of Tommy Murphy, determined to break her family's centuries-old curse. She discovers her ancestor's diary, researches the curse's origins, and teams up with her brother Charlie to retrieve the lucky coin and end the family's misfortune.

  • meg murphy
  • protagonist
  • main character
  • teenage girl
Q5

Who is Ivy Murray in the movie?

Ivy Murray starts as Meg's rival, a former mean girl who is revealed to be a descendant of Caitlin, the woman involved in placing Tommy's curse. As the curse affects her life too, Ivy transforms from antagonist to crucial ally, working with Meg to reverse the coin's magic and racing to the closing ceremony together.

  • ivy murray
  • caitlin descendant
  • rival
  • ally
  • friendship
Q6

How does the Inheritance theme play out in Jinxed?

The Inheritance theme shows how the Murphy curse passes from generation to generation through artifacts like the lucky coin and Tommy's diary. Meg's research and Charlie's discoveries reveal a family lineage that binds past to present, and breaking the curse requires confronting family history rather than simply erasing it.

  • inheritance
  • family legacy
  • ancestry
  • generations
  • passing down
Q7

How does Friendship and Unity work in the story?

The Friendship and Unity theme culminates in an alliance between former rivals Meg and Ivy, who join forces to reverse the coin's magic. The film shows how empathy, humor, and teamwork can defy a seemingly preordained curse, with friendship becoming as powerful as magic in rewriting the family's fortune.

  • friendship
  • teamwork
  • alliance
  • cooperation
  • rivalry to allies
Q8

Who is Tommy Murphy in 1913?

Tommy Murphy was the town of Harvest Hills' luckiest man in 1913 until a public humiliation at the festival turned his fortune to despair and triggered the family curse. Obsessed with righting this wrong and reconciling with Caitlin, he remains romantic and hopeful even as misfortune compounds, and his story anchors the backstory that motivates Meg's quest decades later.

  • tommy murphy
  • 1913
  • ancestor
  • historical character
  • curse origin
Q9

What role does Brett O'Leary play?

Brett O'Leary is revealed to be a descendant of Caitlin, making him a love interest for Meg and a key figure in the curse's resolution. He helps Meg by returning the coin and supporting the race to the ceremony, and his involvement ties Caitlin's past to the present-day romance while the curse tests their fate.

  • brett oleary
  • love interest
  • caitlin descendant
  • romance
Q10

What is the Harvest Hills Historical Museum's role?

The Harvest Hills Historical Museum serves as the repository where the cursed lucky coin and Tommy's diary are kept. This location grounds the tale in small-town roots while setting the stage for magical misadventures that span generations, connecting the 1913 past to the present-day quest.

  • museum
  • historical museum
  • artifacts
  • lucky coin
  • diary

Movie threads

More Movies Like Jinxed, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Jinxed tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Magical Misfortune Movies like Jinxed

Characters on a lighthearted mission to undo a bizarre and troublesome spell. Discover movies like Jinxed where characters confront a whimsical family curse or magical hex. These films blend fantasy and light comedy, focusing on a determined quest to fix their bad luck. If you enjoyed Jinxed, you'll love these stories of playful spells and happy endings.

  • magical
  • quirky
  • hopeful
  • lighthearted
  • optimistic
  • playful
  • Tone: whimsical, playful, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, quest-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Movies in this thread typically begin with the discovery or intensification of a magical problem, such as a family curse. The protagonists embark on a quest to research the hex's origins, find a solution, and confront the source of the magic. The journey is filled with comical mishaps caused by the spell, and the resolution is achieved through cleverness, teamwork, and often, an act of forgiveness or understanding.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a unique blend of low-stakes fantasy and comedic problem-solving. The central conflict is supernatural but humorous, creating a distinct 'whimsical' tone. They offer a satisfying narrative of overcoming a bizarre obstacle, resulting in a feel-good, optimistic experience.

Teen Romance with Magic like Jinxed

Spells, potions, and magical mix-ups complicate budding high school relationships. If you liked the magical romance in Jinxed, explore these teen comedies where spells and witchcraft create fun relationship drama. These movies blend coming-of-age stories with light fantasy, featuring awkward magical mishaps and sweet, optimistic endings for the young couples.

  • teen romance
  • magical
  • lighthearted
  • optimistic
  • playful
  • coming of age
  • Tone: lighthearted, optimistic, whimsical
  • Pacing: steady, character-focused
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often feature a typical teen romance that gets hijacked by a magical event, like a love spell or a hidden magical identity. The plot revolves around the humorous consequences of this magic, forcing the characters to grow and learn about genuine connection beyond the spell's effects. The resolution typically involves the magic being resolved, leading to a sincere and happy romantic conclusion.

Why they belong together: This thread groups movies that perfectly mix the tropes of teen romantic comedies with the inventiveness of light fantasy. The shared vibe is optimistic, playful, and uplifting, with magic serving as a catalyst for character growth rather than a source of genuine danger. They offer an escape into a world where love and a little bit of magic can solve any problem.

Every angle

Jinxed (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Jinxed in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app