The Joneses (2009) User Reviews (104)

something close to a paradox- a dark satire with likable characters- but it's good

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 4 May 2010]

The Joneses is not top-shelf satire. Its concept does suggest that it could be something of a great little suburban parable, something that years ago could have come up on the Twilight Zone. An upper middle class (or, let's face it, upper class) family of four- the Joneses, Steve, Kate, Jenn and Mick- move in to a very nice new house. The neighbors are impressed already, and become even more impressed (or just jealous) of how they live, which is quite well and with many little extravagances other people would want. This is because they actually aren't a 'real' family; they're a corporate selling unit, put together by a company looking to have a family sell to the richest yuppies, young and middle-aged or old, in the area, by creating envy and, ultimately, mass consumption.

It's a wicked little game made up so that all of the relationships of the Jonses with the outside world are of a shallow, synthetic nature by design. There can be attachments, but it's preferred that things stay on a simple, amiable social-networking level so that more people buy more stuff to fill in their big-ass houses. What the filmmakers explore is this idea, but also the nature of the family "unit", and what happens with these people when they're around each other for such a period of time. Kate (Moore) is the leader of the unit, making sure everyone is up to par on their sale percentages, especially Steve (Duchovney) a failed golf pro turned car salesman who is on shaky ground. He's not completely full of crap, so it takes a little while for him to find his bearings selling the lifestyle he and the Jones' leads, but at the same time he also has actual not-fake feelings for Kate, which throws a monkey wrench in things, especially his oncoming "icon" status.

A lot of this sounds good, but the reason it's not really a top-shelf satire is that it just stops short just when it looks like it will take off. It hints at being a dark look at suburbia, and hints at a kind of under-the-mat aspect like American Beauty. But the characters don't get very well defined after their initial set up; Steve is the good guy, Kate is the slightly conflicted working woman, Mick the closeted homosexual 'son', and Jenn the girl sleeping with a married man, or whomever she can find (i.e. Steve). This also goes for supporting characters, like the one the talented Gary Cole plays as the Joneses next-door neighbor, who is such a consumer whore that he doesn't see what harm he's causing to his busy-body wife and marriage in general (his downfall is very predictable). And the last several minutes of the film is especially too 'happy', meaning that whatever scathing undercurrent of capitalist nightmare realized going on in the first half of the film is resolved in such a way that is obvious.

However, this shouldn't discourage what is good about the film, because what is good is very good. When the script is witty it's very witty, and when the actors are likable, they shine off the screen. Demi Moore hasn't been this appealing (perhaps ironically so considering her cold business-like character) in years; Duchovney does well as a genuinely good person who happens to be working like a con-man; Amber Heard is the newest hot girl on the block seemingly genetically engineered between Kiera Knightley and Kristen Stewart's good looks. It's simply an excellent premise that takes off only so much as to its conventional screenplay will allow (some intrusive songs also don't help much and sort of detract from more dramatic points).

The Joneses: Inconsistently Influencing Others By Living the American Dream

[PopcornJury · 6/10 · 27 October 2010]

The Joneses is a great mediocre movie. The idea is interesting, the cast is credible, and the film itself is totally worthwhile, but overall, it falls short in delivering what could've been a great capturing of our current culture and the way we behave as consumers.

Being in advertising, I know first hand the power of influence. Clients pay credible sources to promote a product, and product sales go up. It's a pretty simple math equation. With the advent of the Internet, bloggers, and social media, we're now seeing firsthand that consumers no longer rely on advertisements to change their behaviors, they rely on their communities. The Joneses takes this simple concept just one step further. They are a perfect family, paid to promote a lifestyle.

On paper, the Joneses are living the dream. A beautiful family with David Duchovny playing husband, Demi Moore playing wife, and two kids played by equally as attractive individuals that have everything they want and more. The twist? Everything they own, from their house to their hour de' vours, were paid for in return for a selfless promotion and subtle push of a product. With each family member responsible for a certain percentage of sales, we see dad commandeering the sale of golf clubs, brother slanging new products from Sony, sister making waves in makeup sales, and mom showcasing her newest line of shoes. It's all fake, but it works. They are living the dream, and everyone around them wants a piece of the action.

The film quickly takes a slight turn for the worse when the Joneses realize, despite all the glitz and glamor, that they really aren't so happy after all. They alienate friends, have no real family, and influence those around them to spend so much money to attain something less substantial than they already have. A few emotional scenes after another lead to the final moments of the film that prove rewarding, but at the same time, less spectacular than what was expected from such a promising premise.

All in all, the Joneses brought something new to the table, but in a way that didn't resonate too well with me or most individuals that saw it. It's a great mediocre movie, but I'm typically now in the mood to recommend mediocre regardless of how good it is. The Joneses gets two stars, I wouldn't work to hard to promote it, but in the end I'll say that it's a semi-pleasant product.

For more reviews, visit http://www.popcornjury.com

Michael Buffa-Editor, Popcorn Jury

Something new under the sun

[bob-rutzel-1 · 7/10 · 13 August 2010]

The Jones family moves into an upscale community and everything seems perfect, but this family has an agenda.

And, they say there is nothing new under the sun. HA ! Just wait until you see this story. It's more than just keeping up with the Joneses. Much more. A new twist has been added. Maybe it was just a matter of time before we saw something like this, but the wait is over. It's here now.

When I first watched the first few minutes in the beginning, I was wary. Hey, I remember The STING and I said, "Con." But, I was wrong. It's not that. Not exactly.

The acting performances by Duchovny and Moore are seamless. Their performances are so understated and honest that you buy into and enjoy everything. Nothing is overdone. The dialogues by all the cast are also seamless and honest. No really uncomfortable moments. You know something is wrong with this family, but what? Oh, you do find out early on and when you know, then you need to see how it ends. But, after that, everything ran smoothly and I kept asking myself, "what could go wrong? what could go wrong?" And, of course, something does.

Violence: No. Sex: Not really, you just hear the sounds Nudity: Yes, briefly in the beginning. Sexual content: Yes. Teenage drinking: Yes. Language: Yes.

Meet The Joneses

[Chrysanthepop · 21 February 2011]

'The Joneses' comes across as an entertaining film that also makes the viewer aware of a thing or two regarding today's world. While many have found the idea to be a bit far-fetched, the film doesn't try to tackle more than it can handle. The way the Joneses neighbours are seduced by their lifestyle is pretty much the way most consumers feel. Nothing surprises me about the marketing strategies corporates come up with, no matter how 'amoral' it is as their primary goal is to sell more and more.

That said, I perhaps would have enjoyed 'The Joneses' more had I not seen the trailer. The trailer revealed too much of the plot and that ruins the surprise element which would have made it more interesting had the viewer experienced the unfolding of the story through the film.

Yet, it is a well made picture with well-defined characters. David Duchovny and the ravishing Demi Moore are in top form. Both deliver subtle and nuanced performances. Glenne Heady and Gary Cole provide superb support. The art direction is impressive. The Joneses house looks too good to be true but that's the point. Derrick Borte does a competent job of balancing humour and intensity. On the flip side, the ending felt a little rushed and the daughter's character was a little shoddily written.

Overall, 'The Joneses' is an entertainer that's also enlightening.

See it just to see something different for a change.

[Christian_Dimartino · 7/10 · 29 September 2010]

David Duchovney and Demi Moore are The Joneses. The Joneses won't be for everybody. But it's different from any other movie that you'll see this year,i'll assure you of that. As far as entertainment value comes, The Joneses succeeds.

David Duchovney and Demi Moore play a supposed couple who moves into a new house with their kids. But as it turns out(spoiler alert!) none of these people know each other. Demi Moore is their boss. She goes house to house with a new family each time, trying to sell things or something like that. Or showing off their items to others so then the other people will purchase them.

While living with each other, things start to unravel. They each find out a little about each other. And things start to fall apart. And soon enough, everyone is wondering who The Joneses really are.

The Joneses is billed as a comedy. I didn't necessarily find it that funny. I found it more interesting than funny. The film is well acted. It's very entertaining,and it's highly original. Is it as original as something like Inception? No. Well, nothing this year will go against Inception.

The Joneses isn't great. If it was aiming to be a comedy, it fails. And I didn't fully understand parts of it. But I found the movie to be entertaining, and you won't see anything like it. I know I won't. The Joneses is a weird little movie that I think should be rented.

3/4

Decent film

[mhubbard-54657 · 7/10 · 29 July 2018]

A fake family, really reps for an unnamed corporate entity, with 2 teenage "children" move into an upper crust neighborhood, with the sole intent of selling various lifestyle brands. They have no other job. The Dad golfs daily and the Mom goes to hair salons and hot yoga classes. The kids attend school. As everyone goes about their daily life, they casually promote various upscale brands, which neighbors soon envy and purchase. They appear like the perfect family on the surface. Everyone wants to emulate their glamorous lifestyle. They are successful with sales, but over time, various glitches in the plan begin to appear. Human emotions and frailties, the natural consequences of greed, and the need for real sexual fulfillment all interfere with working for "the company". There is a death, but also a happy ending.

Overall, fairly well done. It will be a little food for thought, as well as some entertainment.

Dark side of American Consumerism

[sjlightbown · 7/10 · 16 August 2010]

Could this really happen? Maybe not, but the consequences of today's, "The one who dies with the most toys wins!" attitude are shown to great effect in this film. Previous reviewers have said the acting wasn't up to much but I disagree and was glued to the screen all the way through. I'm amazed that The Joneses wasn't marketed more, I never saw any press about it and as a regular cinema goer definitely would have paid my eight quid. Maybe no explosions, mentions of terrorism or national security doomed it to DVD release in the UK. Not a comedy, not a thriller but something between which was sometimes dark and at others hilarious. I felt myself connecting with the main characters which, as a Brit, I don't often do in American films. Overall a good film (hence 7 out of 10) and worth ninety five minutes of your time.

Its fun seeing rich famlies being fleeced 😊

[Ckn48 · 6/10 · 17 January 2021]

David & Demi play there rolls well together. The Start does a good job trying to convince you its a normal family. Having the daughter jump in with the dad is fun because you watched the trailers but if not its a real shock. The daughter and son then going for non conventional partners adds more twists. The neighbors final act is totally believable.

Yes, keeping up with Jones's is a dirty business and this tried to expose some of the manipulation. It was fun seeing all the rich idiots fall for it all, as well as there children wanting the latest everything.

These kinds of attitudes will cause climate change to be irreversible so its nice to see the flip side of the coin and the damage consumerism does to people.

My only gripe is the Audi R8 being left at home while Mum & Dad go to a dinner together leaving the kids to have a house party. A normal rich dad would take the R8 to dinner, not leave it at home. Its needed at home for the next two plot twists.

Overall the movie was fun, even just to see the rich guys being fleeced.

Hope this "sleeper" finds an audience!

[sailortommie09 · 8/10 · 25 April 2010]

It's not often you can sit down for a couple of hours of genuine entertainment and come away feeling like you've just learned a thing or two about life. Such is the deft, skillful balance achieved in "The Joneses." I won't mention a single plot point, because the less you know about this film -- other than it being an excellent film-going experience -- the more enjoyment you'll have in the theater.

It's a tribute to David Duchovny and Demi Moore that they apply their considerable skills to breathe real life into what could otherwise have been caricatures in the hands of less-talented actors. The little facial expressions, the subtle glances, the telling pauses, the body language... everything that makes film a medium of intense impact is used to tremendous effect, all expertly guided by the emerging artistry of director Derrick Borte.

It's almost impossible to be unconsciously sucked-in by these characters on the screen, in virtually the same way their celluloid neighbors are likewise seduced by everything about them. Yet, there's an underlying discord, an uncomfortable, inescapable tension that pervades the truly captivating plot and persists through genuinely amusing humor, signaling your gut that something is not quite right. It is only with the full unfolding of the plot that we come to realize just how profoundly twisted things are -- all the more disturbing because this fictional set piece is a shockingly true-to-life reflection of the world all around us.

It is genuine enlightenment to witness the choices made when the characters are ultimately forced to resolve the true issues they confront.

Good, but should have been darker

[sunraider · 6/10 · 18 April 2010]

For the most part I enjoyed this film. The premise of the film was intriguing, and the sole reason I went to see it. But the film makes the mistake of not taking the possibility of this type of marketing seriously. There were too many Hollywood-ish obstacles in the movie designed to ensure the make-believe marketing ploy is uncovered and everyone learns a moral lesson.

But the film should have run with the concept and retained its initial, edgier style. If this were a real, brilliant new marketing strategy, true professionals would be hired, not a "son" who was secretly gay and winds up making a pass at a teen-aged boy, or a daughter who can't keep her hands off the local husbands and dads. The pros would swoop in and out fast,leaving behind a desire for all the products enjoyed by the perfect family, even if it resulted in the financial ruin of the duped families. The faux family of professionals would move on to a new State, new neighborhood, and hawk new products and not concern themselves with the decisions others made. As long as the product is legal, those who sell it don't concern themselves with who buys it or why, for the most part. It's their job. All in all a nice film that could have been brilliant.

Painfully predictable

[RHewison · 4/10 · 13 November 2011]

Undecided as to which genre of film to watch last night, I thought I'd opt for a seemingly lighthearted movie to kill some time. My feelings by the end of the film were still the same, what genre film had I just watched? If it was a romantic film it failed to make me care or be excited by the prospect of a relationship, if it was a comedy it failed to make me laugh. The film didn't make me feel any empathy for the characters and while I enjoyed the actors' performances, it fell flat on the entertainment value. I successfully predicted all the way through exactly what would happen. The film had no driving force, didn't seem to be building up to anything and the clichéd ending wasn't the closure I wanted.

However it was not all bad. It was very well shot, with beautiful sets and was visually exciting, with first class editing. It was an original plot, based on a solid concept. Because of this it could have been really good, offering the audience a mirror in which to view themselves and what society has become. Whilst it did become a bit of a thinker and made me wonder what extent we go to, to have the best of everything it ultimately failed to truly strike at the heart of the topic and left me feeling like there were gaps that should have been filled throughout the film.

Overall; a watchable film but not entirely enjoyable.

This movie deserves more...

[jules50_5 · 8/10 · 1 August 2010]

After I saw a preview at a local theater for this movie, I got interested because of David Duchovny. I really liked his acting in Californication and was interested how he would act in a standard comedy/drama film, or so it would seem from the preview I saw. Because this movie is much more then a standard comedy/drama film. It deals with much more moral questions about life. I won't give much away, because you really have to go into this film not knowing anything, as I did. The acting was just good, with only Duchovny excelling. Once you understand what's going on in the movie, the script is a bit predictable, but not so much as that it would ruin the movie for you. Also, I don't understand why this movie isn't much bigger. It's made hardly any money and no one's heard about it, yet it's a film that stands out and should get more attention.

I went into this movie because I'm a fan of Duchovny and was expecting a mediocre film, but it turned out to be so much more.

Go see this film, you won't be disappointed.

oh my DEMI

[kordell11 · 7/10 · 8 August 2010]

i watched this movie purely because i like David Duchovny as an actor and because i think Demi Moore is the most attractive woman i've ever seen. this movie was kind of weird when it first started out but you quickly catch on that their life is way too perfect to be real. it was actually better than i thought it was going to be with a real felt message that there is more to life than material things. I'm a marketing student and the real scary part of the movie is when i realized that this could actually happen, in fact it does already in a way with celebrities and famous athletes getting paid to wear and use certain products just to make others want to go buy them. overall this movie was a 7 with an ending that will make you smile.

Who's the real patsy?

[lynseytate · 5/10 · 29 June 2011]

I like the general premise of this movie, that people regularly allow their behavior to be controlled by market forces no matter how unscrupulous and exploitative those forces are. Directly exploring the idea that we all too easily allow greed-driven marketers to manipulate us into spending large amounts of money - which we often cannot afford, as exemplified by the eventual fate of the next-door neighbor - is laudable and this film does not completely miss the mark on that point. However, when one of the characters gets a new car in which the make of the car is so blatantly showcased by name and visually, and several characters are fawning over the car, I began to wonder just which group of oblivious innocents was really being sold a bill of marketing goods: the neighbors via the plot, or we the audience via yet another movie become multiple ads?

The acting is good, the script is weak and the plot is an interesting idea but not developed very well and is not believable at all. There seem to be many practical and even legal difficulties:

1. Is it really financially feasible to outlay the expenditure required to establish this affluent fake family, to justify increasing the spending habits of the people they come into contact with?

2. Can the marketing corporation really track the success of individual members of the fake family well enough even to know specifically which family member has caused increased spending in specific industries? (Mom is the only one who increases spending in make-up, Dad is the only one who influences sporting goods sales, Son is the only one who influences video-game sales, etc? Please.)

3. Are the family members who are posing as high-school students really high-school aged? If they are I would think there are all kinds of labor laws being broken and numerous other legal problems, and if not then having an overage person enrolled in a high school and under a necessarily false identity is probably illegal in every state also. Either way, the likely prospect of sexual activity between the fake kids and the minors they encounter, which seems to be encouraged by the marketing company they work for (the visiting supervisor pushes them to establish boyfriend/girlfriend relationships) is a major legal stumbling block.

4. Can fake family units really be set up over and again with the necessary secrecy maintained? It seems a tactic destined to be exposed eventually, and to cause a lot of damage to the marketing company involved and the products they promote.

This is far too much disbelief to suspend. Even movie audiences have limits to our gullibility.

An effective cautionary tale for consumers

[JohnDeSando · 7 April 2010]

Much as we liberally educated intellectuals disdain materialism, or at least say we do, a film that features the toys of the well-to-do carries an allure, a cheap pleasure appealing to our basest materialistic instincts. Such an appealing experience can be had if you watch The Joneses, a cautionary tale about high-end marketers posing as a happy family seducing neighbors and friends to buy the goods they flaunt.

The Grifters told of low-lifes scamming in traditional con games that were harmless because most of us would never be caught in the compromising places these scammers frequent. But In The Joneses, the glamorous people next door, whose glitzy alcohol itself is worth buying, are a family on product parade reaping rewards for everything they have convinced you to buy just because you wanted to be like the Joneses.

David Duchovny, as father Steve Jones, is his coolest ever, the new dude on the block with everything, down to his impressive wife Kate (Demi Moore), and two beautiful children, Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth). They're all working the con, selling by showing to every stratum of the newly-wealthy. This first segment of the film, which shows them working their game, is as entertaining as one of Danny Ocean's capers, only less obvious and perhaps more dangerous because of its detachment from the normal heist.

The tension comes when exposure of the con looms and more importantly when one or more of the "unit" begins to have scruples about the game. Chaucer would approve of the moral ambiguities and the threat of retribution by the gods of righteousness. Unfortunately as things begin to come apart, the film turns from slick to sluggish, from fresh to cliché.

As a moralized tale The Joneses is best when we are witnessing the smooth con; the denouement is too much of mom arriving when our hand has just left the cookie jar and lying is not going to work. But as long as Moore and Duchovny are achieving some level of screwball amusement, the film is better than most other dramadies out there today.

Unfortunately uneven.

[lewiskendell · 6/10 · 17 September 2010]

I thought the first half of The Joneses was pretty cool. I liked the cast (Duchovny, Moore, Cole have by far the biggest roles in the movie, so don't expect a lot of Ben Hollingsworth or Amber Heard) and the idea of a fake family (or cell, as they're called here) being planted into relatively affluent neighborhood to covertly advertise products through their lifestyle was interesting. Especially in today's world, where we're constantly being advertised to in nearly every facet of our lives (including this movie).

Unfortunately, when the lives of The Jones and the people around them who desperately crave their seemingly ideal existence start to unravel, so does the movie. Derrick Borte's script throws every cliché obstacle up on screen that you can think of in an attempt to add emotional drama and a connection between the characters and the audience, and it just didn't work, for me. I didn't feel sympathy for the people I was expected to feel sympathy for, and it all ended up feeling so predictable that it really dragged down the good things the movie did in the initial half. 

I still had an overall positive experience with The Joneses, but I wish this could have been an entire good movie, instead of half of one.

The Joneses will stealthily sneak its way into the warmth in your heart

[moviexclusive · 6/10 · 21 August 2010]

Imagine a perfect family – from the match made in heaven parents to their equally beautiful offspring. They live the finest lifestyle of a mansion-esquire home, drive sleek cars and always draped and accessorized with the latest in fashion and technology. Imagine all that and the fact that they could all appear real and yet not be. The movie also introduces us to the concept of major stealth marketing which infiltrates our daily lives. This is the premise of The Joneses.

David Duchovny plays Steve Jones, who is married to Kathy Jones played by Demi Moore. Their teenage children, Jenn and Mick are played by Amber Heard and Ben Hollingsworth respectively. The Joneses move into a nice pristine neighbourhood and stirs the community immediately fitting in with the crowd and getting everyone to like them. At the same time, we discover that they are not an actual family and they have been hired by a company that employs stealth marketing. Each of the Joneses is an employee who has sales targets to meet and a lot of people to influence. And boy, do they tempt everyone else.

It is a surprise that for movie like The Joneses to not get much attention despite its interesting premise. It has gotten a limited release in the States and has only travelled to a film fest or two. Even in Singapore the movie has been pushed back and it would be no surprise if it sees a limited release here. To think the movie was made in 2009! This is a pity as the movie actually scores some points.

The product placements in the movie are bound to cause audiences to chuckle and how the 'consumers' actually fall victim to the Joneses' slick work. Of course, as much as the movie starts off seemingly innocently like a comedy, the movie allows much room for drama especially when David Duchovny's character starts to fall for his 'fake' wife and actually starts to long for an actual family life and wanting to do familial things with the rest of the children. And naturally, his character starts to question morality and whether he is doing the right thing. Things happen to the characters and the movie gets to the core of these characters, allowing the audience to discover if there is really any humanity left underneath their facades.

Pity though that the climax of the film feels somewhat unreal and contrived and this leads to the resolution being somewhat expected. If the decision made in the climax was further fleshed out and to allow the story to be less predictable for audiences, it would be a big winner. Let us hope that more people will see this nonetheless

An above average film that is worth renting.

[garyvanhorn · 6/10 · 10 January 2011]

The Joneses is a clever way to deliver a tired message. By all rights this film should have annoyed me into tiny little pieces but it didn't. Other than the anti-materialism message of the movie the camera-work was, at times, irritatingly shaky. A suggestion for Hollywood; yes we know we are watching a movie, please stop reminding us, and quit with the lens flare already! Aside from those two points the movie was both interesting and amusing.

The gimmick of the movie is that the Joneses move in next door and they have everything. They are wealthy, sexy, funny, smart, and they have the newest and best cars, clothes, TVs, video games, and just about everything else under the sun. The big secret (revealed about 15 min into the film, so I'm not really spoiling anything here) is that they aren't really a family at all, but rather a "stealth marketing" team that sells products indirectly by making the neighbors jealous. Mr. Jones (David Duchovny) is a rookie whose sales are not up to snuff and Mrs. Jones (Demi Moore) is his corporate ladder climbing boss.

After setting up the premise of a soulless group of corporate toadies secretly posing as a family in order to make money, the remainder of the film is spent exploring the human side of the Joneses. They might not be a family but they are still people, with feelings, wants, and needs. It is this exploration of their humanity that makes The Joneses watchable, and I was amused by the "stealth marketing" that ran throughout the movie. The Joneses isn't a great movie but it is worth taking a chance on.

Fair Entertainment...

[namashi_1 · 6/10 · 26 August 2010]

Derrick Borte's 'The Joneses' is a fair entertainer, that works due to it's novelty. The plot, of a fake-family, catches your attention. How fortunate, the idea is justified by becoming a decent effort.

About a fake family commissioned by a marketing company as a way to introduce new luxury-level products to neighborhoods around the world, using undercover marketing techniques. As told, the idea is truly fresh. Also what works on it's advantage is the running time, it's perfectly maintained - 95 minutes.

Derrick Borte's Screenplay and Direction, both are nice. Yaron Orbach's Cinematography is just right. The Editing isn't that slick, though.

In the acting front, Demi Moore is superb. In fact, she's in true form after a long gap. David Duchovny is lovable. The actor plays his part with great restrain. Amber Heard is not only a beauty, but also a talented performer. Ben Hollingsworth is okay. Chris Williams is competent.

On the whole, 'The Joneses' is, at best, an above-average fare.

A clever comedy that gets you thinking

[alicebsawyer · 9/10 · 23 March 2010]

Before I saw this film, I really didn't know what to expect, but then as I started watching, it really delivered. David Duchovny and Demi Moore are fantastic as Kate and Steve Jones, the seemingly perfect couple in the ridiculously perfect neighborhood. I especially liked the way in which the director, Derrick Borte, conveyed a feeling to the audience that something just isn't quite right with this family. This movie really makes you think about what you buy and why exactly you buy it. It was highly entertaining and also had an important and rather satirical message about American consumerism and the art of "keeping up with the Joneses."

intriguing concept

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 15 August 2016]

The Joneses move into an upper-class suburb with the newest gadgets and the best style. Kate (Demi Moore) and Steve (David Duchovny) seem like a perfect couple but they don't have any chemistry in private. Mick (Ben Hollingsworth) is hiding his homosexuality. Jenn (Amber Heard) is slutty and tries to sleep with Steve. They are actually professional salespeople promoting their products. KC (Lauren Hutton) is their boss. Their neighbors Larry (Gary Cole) and Summer Symonds (Glenne Headly) start racking up debts to keep up with the Joneses.

This is an intriguing concept but there is a decreasing return. The idea gets repetitive. The family members' personal drama is more compelling. Mick's relationship with Naomi could be interesting but his gay character can't have the easier romantic drama. It doesn't get the comedy but some of the drama works.

Consumerism on the screen

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 15 January 2011]

I watched this movie on the note from a friend, who kept insisting that I just had to watch it, because it was such a cool movie. So I caved in and sat down to watch the movie, without having any clue what it was all about.

Now, I must say that I think it was a bold topic to make a movie about, but it actually worked out quite well. I am not much fan of movies that are raising debate about social issues, but this movie actually turned out to be interesting and alright.

The cast in the movie was phenomenal. David Duchovny, playing Steve Jones, and Demi Moore, playing Kate Jones, were really great opposite one another, and they had really good screen chemistry. Amber Heard, playing Jenn Jones, and Ben Hollingsworth in the role of Mich Jones, also put on good performances. But I think Gary Cole, in the role of Larry Symonds, was actually one of the better guys in the movie, he played his role quite well.

The story told in "The Joneses" about our consumerist society was somewhat interesting, and it manages to keep you riveted to the chair, wanting to see what happens next in the movie. But was it really one that was necessary being told? I found the movie to be adequate entertainment, but it didn't really raise any issues about consumerism after having seen it. Maybe because I just take a movie for what it is, a movie - a means of entertainment.

I noticed the movie was labeled as a comedy, which I would disagree with. Drama, yes, but comedy, no. At least not in the sense that it will make you laughing and rolling on the floor. Sure there were moments that were funny and somewhat outrageous, but as a comedy it just didn't do the trick for me.

"The Joneses", for me, is the type of movie that you watch it once, then bag it and tag it, never to see it again. To me, the story didn't have enough value for a second viewing.

A thoughtful and original twist on "keeping up with the Joneses"

[napierslogs · 9/10 · 12 September 2010]

"The Joneses" asks, can you keep up with the Joneses (David Duchovny and Demi Moore)? And the answer is yes. The plot has enough original twists and turns to keep it interesting, but not so many that you can still notice the few levels of nuance and intelligence that they added.

A very original take on the "keeping up with the Joneses" idea - everybody wants what the Joneses have. It may sound like any other film where we watch rich people live their selfish lives, but they quickly turn that on its head. It's much more clever and interesting. The creative premise can seem a bit far-fetched but it was immediately brought back down to Earth with the realism of the characters. I was completely intrigued by these characters, and particularly impressed with the emotion that was shining from beneath Duchovny's handsome surface.

I had no idea what to expect from "The Joneses". And, well, that's exactly what I got - something that I never could have expected. And it was great. This film is original and intelligent, especially with some of their perceptions of society. It can be a bit cynical at times but that just adds some dark humour which all the best films have. I highly recommend "The Joneses", especially for people who like a little bit of thought and originality in films.

Duchovny good. Movie mediocre.

[CrazyArty · 6/10 · 3 April 2022]

A seemingly perfect family moves into a new neighbourhood but not all is as it seems. Stars David Duchovny and Demi Moore.

Duchovny is charismatic and likeable but the film is pretty mediocre. The movie feels like it should be a comedy but it's actually a drama.

Critic of consumer society turns into shallow mass

[Booboboo · 2/10 · 5 August 2010]

A sleek, well-made but disappointing movie. It starts as a critic of consumer society and corporations with loads of potential. After a while all the potential is burned and it turns into what it should be a caricature of: A lame, long advertisement. Sex and love between "mom" and "dad" becomes the main issue, and with this focus on micro level issues it is typically American. Had this movie been European the main actors would have made love, too, but this would not have become the whole point of the movie. Even the common denominator of the "father" and "son", doubting their fake life, is not used for anything - potential burned, again. When what could have been a powerful message about society became washed away by an improbable escape into private life, I was left sad.