The Joneses (2009)
Director:- Derrick Borte
Starring:- Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard, Ben Hollingsworth and Gary Cole.
Having taken a peak at the average rating on IMDB (6.5) I wasn't overly looking forward to seeing this movie, but I thought I'd give it a chance, and how glad was I- a Hollywood picture to get my teeth into.
Billed as a comedy, but to be frank it isn't funny, not laugh out loud funny anyway. Don't let this put you off as where The Joneses isn't hilarious, it is dramatic.
I won't give too much away plotwise, but we follow the lives of a perfect American family as they move into a new neighbourhood. Soon enough the everybody is falling over themselves to get a piece of the Joneses. They have the right cars, the right clothes, the right house, the right toys, the right family... or do they? Derrick Borte hints early on that something isn't quite right with this all too perfect nuclear family. The plot unfolds intelligently and gradually, drawing the viewer in. Borte asks us time and time again about our obsession with 'keeping up with the Joneses', and questions about the costs to our wallets and ourselves. We see Steve Jones (Duchovny) weave the members of the golf club around his little finger, and soon enough they are all literally buying into his ideas, his lifestyle and his very expensive toys and clothes. Moore and Duchovny play their roles credibly, the latter in fact portraying a genuinely likeable guy. The Joneses highlights modern consumerism and more so the cost- and who is paying? What are the lengths we will go to just to keep up with 'The Joneses'. Why do we buy the things that we buy? Particularly pertinent in our credit obsessed modern world- and the crisis it led to in 2008. It directs us to consider what is really important in life- can possessions really fill the gaps in our lives? Is a brand spanking new Audi car really a replacement for love and family?
The Joneses has a great premise and should have been developed further. The ending was a real let down. The loose ends are tied together in a clumsy butt jointed bodge up, when a braver film maker would have given the viewer a grittier, more realistic finish. However, it seems that whenever Hollywood has a choice between reality and schmaltze, they hit the schmaltze button every time. It is a real pity as 80% of this dark drama deserved more.
The Joneses serve up a great pitch, and almost follow it through.
IMDB.com Rating:- 6.5 (26, 184 votes)
Supermegahybrid Rating:- 3.5 stars
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