The Joneses Review
By David Kempler
No Need to Keep Up With These Joneses
Derrick Borte, in his directorial debut, is determined to show us the crass materialism that envelops our society. I, for one, am greatly surprised to learn of this phenomenon. His vehicle is driven by a filthy-rich family of four great looking people, named the Joneses. Get it? It's about keeping up with the Joneses. How subtly clever.
Kate (Demi Moore) is the mommy. Steve (David Duchovny) is the daddy. Their two model-quality looking teenagers, Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth), (both looking a couple of years too old for the part) form the nuclear family from central casting. Of course, that's partly Borte's point; everything about "The Joneses" screams, "Look how phony we all are".
This model family moves into a new, very upscale neighborhood and, from the first moments, they are flaunting wealth and the latest in gadgets. Their neighbors, particularly Larry (Gary Cole) and his ditzy wife Summer (Glenne Headly), love and worship the Joneses, immediately falling into a state of mass hypnosis that makes them desire whatever the Joneses possess. Turns out that the Joneses aren't what they appear to be. Let's just say that they are not your standard family unit and leave it at that, so you have the chance to experience at least one surprise in case you go see it.
Duchovny plays it all in his typical "Californication" fashion, moving and talking slowly and relaxed, no matter the situation. It's a perpetual drunk appearance, minus the alcohol. His character, Steve, turns out to be the moral compass for his unusual family, eventually unmasking everyone's facade.
"The Joneses" is digestible without being nauseating, until an ending that is so reprehensible all I could feel was disgust at Borte's need to clean up the entire mess in order to send the audience home without feeling bad about themselves. To some, "The Joneses" will no doubt be viewed as deep and as a mirror being held up for us to view our corrupt values. Then why the need to sanitize it all at the end?
