The Joneses (2009)

Popularity:

Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Derrick Borte

Writers:

Randy T. Dinzler (story)
Derrick Borte (written by)

Release Date:

23 April 2010 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

They're not just living the American dream, they're selling it.

Plot:

A seemingly perfect family moves into a suburban neighborhood, but when it comes to the truth as to why they're living there, they don't exactly come clean with their neighbors.

Plot Keywords:

Envy | School | Gadget | Sex On Boat | Female Frontal Nudity

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Steve Jones
Demi Moore	...	Kate Jones
Amber Heard	...	Jenn Jones
Benjamin Hollingsworth	...	Mick Jones (as Ben Hollingsworth)
Gary Cole	...	Larry Symonds
Glenne Headly	...	Summer Symonds
Lauren Hutton	...	KC
Chris Williams	...	Billy
Christine Evangelista	...	Naomi Madsen
Robert Pralgo	...	Alex Bayner (as Rob Pralgo)
Tiffany Morgan	...	Melanie Bayner
Joe Narciso	...	Henry
Ric Reitz	...	Bob Jones
L. Warren Young	...	Detective Gardner
Hayes Mercure	...	Tim Madsen
Andrew DiPalma	...	Will (as Andrew Di Palma)
Jenson Goins	...	Ami
Norma Kuhling	...	Beth (as Norma Zea Kuhling)
Jason Horgan	...	Mr. Stallings
Catherine Dyer	...	Sylvia
Kim Wall	...	Bethany
Jennifer Van Horn	...	Loretta
Jayson Warner Smith	...	Maitre d'
John Atwood	...	Ken
Ashley LeConte Campbell	...	Mary Beth
Terrence Gibney	...	Jogger
Steve Barnes	...	Guy 1
Jason MacDonald	...	Guy 2
Roy McCrerey	...	Guy 3
Bruce Taylor	...	Elderly Man
Wilbur Fitzgerald	...	Golfer 1
Charles Van Eman	...	Golfer 2
Linden Ashby	...	Golfer 3
Bill Perkins	...	Black Golfer
Ron Clinton Smith	...	Policeman (as R. Clinton Smith)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacob G. Akins	...	Furniture Mover (uncredited)
Wendy Barlow	...	(uncredited)
Danielle Barnum	...	Sommelier (uncredited)
James Belyeu	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Ava Lauren Borte	...	Girl at country club (uncredited)
Ella Archer Borte	...	Girl at Country Club (uncredited)
Sandra Kahlert Borte	...	Mother at country club (uncredited)
Chrissy Chambers	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Bob Cousins	...	Medical Examiner (uncredited)
David Feigenbaum	...	Friend of the Family (uncredited)
Nicholas Giancola	...	Guest at Jim's Party (uncredited)
Kent Kimball	...	Hungry Kent (uncredited)
Shaun Michael Lynch	...	Young Driving Range Guy (uncredited)
Patrick McDonald	...	Video Game Student (uncredited)
Tamara McShane	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Bridget Nichols	...	Guest at Jenn's Cocktail Party (uncredited)
Niko Novick	...	Harry (uncredited)
John Fitzgerald Page	...	Country Club Patron (uncredited)
Justin Price	...	Skateboarder (uncredited)
Brian Stretch	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Sonya Thompson	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Christoph Vogt	...	Mover (uncredited)

Directed by
Derrick Borte

Writing credits
Randy T. Dinzler		(story) (as Randy Dinzler)
Derrick Borte		(written by)

Produced by
Adam Betteridge	....	executive producer
Derrick Borte	....	producer
Scott Floyd Lochmus	....	co-producer (as Scott Lochmus)
Tom Luse	....	executive producer
Doug Mankoff	....	producer
Juan A. Mas	....	producer: Spokane unit (as Juan Mas)
Peter Principato	....	executive producer
David Rogers	....	executive producer
Andrew Spaulding	....	producer
Jessica Stamen	....	co-producer
Sheetal Vinod Talwar	....	executive producer (as Sheetal V. Talwar)
Paul Young	....	executive producer
Kristi Zea	....	producer

Original Music by
Nick Urata

Cinematography by
Yaron Orbach		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Janice Hampton

Casting by
Pam Dixon
Shay Griffin

Production Design by
Kristi Zea

Art Direction by
Paul Kelly

Set Decoration by
Frank Galline

Costume Design by
Renee Ehrlich Kalfus

Makeup Department
Daniel Erdman	....	personal hair stylist: Demi Moore, Spokane
Roxanne Ferguson	....	key hair stylist (as H. Roxanne Ferguson)
Kelsie Gigandet	....	personal hair stylist: Demi Moore
Trista Jordan	....	key makeup artist: Spokane
Taylor Knight	....	hair department head
Tracey Levy	....	personal makeup artist: Demi Moore
Mike Meyers	....	key hair stylist: Spokane
Kevin Paynther	....	hair stylist
Stephanie Ponder	....	makeup artist
Judy Ponder-Patton	....	makeup department head (as Judy Ponder)
Donna M. Premick	....	makeup department head (as Donna Premick)
Taci Van Leuven	....	assistant makeup artist: Spokane (as Taci Vanleuven)

Production Management
Scott Floyd Lochmus	....	post-production supervisor
Kathie McCallister	....	post-production supervisor
Caleb Womble	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Craig Borden	....	first assistant director
Peter Silberstein	....	second second assistant director
Aaron Stewart	....	first assistant director: second unit
Aaron Walters	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Bil Barnes	....	swing (as Bil 'Horndogger' Barnes)
Dwight Benjamin-Creel	....	property master
Arma Benoit	....	props buyer
Dan Beyer	....	set decorator: Spokane
Craig Binkley	....	property master: Spokane
Kevin Fleming	....	scenic charge
Michael Galloway	....	art department production assistant
David Gunter	....	swing
Michelle Ihnot	....	on-set dresser
Derrick Kardos	....	additional graphic artist
Mark Keever	....	swing
Andrew Leary	....	props assistant
Drew Meyers	....	swing
Javed Noorullah	....	set dresser
Katrina Rice	....	props
Ryan Shelor	....	props
Angela J. Smith	....	on-set dresser: Spokane
Andy G. Strauss	....	picture car coordinator
Mike Sullivan	....	scenic charge
Cedar Valentine	....	art department coordinator (as E. Cedar McClure)
Richard Blake Wester	....	leadman
Jay Womer	....	construction

Sound Department
Chris Clifford	....	boom operator: Spokane Unit
Charles Deenen	....	sound effects editor
Robert Dehn	....	sound studio manager
Mary H. Ellis	....	sound mixer (as Mary Ellis)
Jason Gaya	....	adr mixer (as Jason 'Frenchie' Gaya)
Corey J. Grasso	....	adr mixer (as Corey Grasso)
Steven Iba	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Kitting	....	sound mixed by
Zach Michaelis	....	foley mixer
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound designer
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound supervision
Todd Niesen	....	dialogue editor
Angelo Palazzo	....	sound effects editor
Jonathan Pendergrass	....	foley editor
Drew Ponder	....	boom operator
Jack Rametta	....	adr mixer
Jose Sanchez	....	sound utility
Tom Taylor	....	sound mixer: Spokane Unit
Vicki Vandegrift	....	foley artist (as Vicki O'Reilly Vandergrift)
Jonathan Wales	....	sound mixed by
Tim Walston	....	sound effects editor
Ryan Young	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Phil Proctor	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
J. Cody Baker	....	visual effects assistant
Des Carey	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Robert Brubaker	....	stunt player (as Bob Brubaker)
David Paul Lord	....	stunt player (as David Lord)
Anderson Martin	....	stunt player
Lonnie R. Smith Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Lonnie Smith)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rob Acox	....	grip
Mark L. Anderson	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
Philip A. Anderson	....	assistant camera: additional photography (as Philip Allister Anderson)
Curtis Bonds Baker	....	video assist
Mike Besaw	....	grip
Lee Blasingame	....	first assistant camera
Pete Bowman	....	grip
Scott Brinson	....	electrician
West Chambless	....	grip
Dan Cornwall	....	gaffer
Rick Crank	....	electrician
Ross Davis	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Robert 'Caz' Duffy	....	second assistant camera
Seth Eltz	....	grip
Ramon Engle	....	additional camera
Ramon Engle	....	underwater camera operator
Dale Fowler	....	best boy electric
Dave Fowler	....	best boy electric
Donny Fowler	....	electrician
David Galbraith	....	first assistant camera
Nate Heyer	....	best boy electric: additional photography
Robert Kempf	....	key grip
Tracy Minnis	....	camera loader
Neal Norton	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Neal Norton	....	steadicam operator
Connor O'Malley	....	electrician
Gene Page	....	still photographer
James H. Pair III	....	dolly grip
David Parker	....	rigging electrician
Jean-Philippe Pasquier	....	dolly grip
Kerry Rawlins	....	grip
Riko Schatke	....	best boy grip
Joshua Sherrill	....	electrician
Gregory D. Smith	....	key grip
Troy Toebben	....	electrician
Mike Tyson	....	rigging gaffer
Mike Vukas	....	gaffer: additional photography
Bob Webeck	....	first assistant camera: splinter unit
Jon Derek Wilson	....	electrician

Casting Department
Bryan Burra	....	casting assistant
Sandy Holt	....	adr voice casting
Patrick Ingram	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Brenick	....	costumer
Nancy Collini	....	costumer: David Duchovny
Rebecca Cook	....	wardrobe supervisor
Rebecca Cornwall	....	wardrobe assistant
Rhonney Greene	....	key costumer
Mary Linda Gruskin	....	costumer
Meta Issa	....	costumer
Melanie Mascioli	....	costumer
Carol Sadler	....	costume supervisor
Elizabeth Shelton	....	associate costume designer
Eulyn Womble	....	costumer: Demi Moore

Editorial Department
Joe Binford Jr.	....	first assistant editor
Ian Kennedy	....	post-production consultant
Tim Maffia	....	digital color grading
Heather Mason	....	editorial production assistant
David Mayer	....	avid technician
Joëlle Taar	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Al Clay	....	music score mixer
Al Clay	....	music score producer
Vicki Hiatt	....	music editor
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Lisa Jaime	....	music editor
David Majzlin	....	composer: stock music
Adam Peters	....	orchestrator
Peter Oso Snell	....	music editor
Albert Thrower	....	music clearances

Transportation Department
Javon Adams	....	driver
Shannon Freeman	....	van driver
Cindy Parker	....	transportation coordinator
J.L. Parker	....	transportation captain
Janet Perrotti	....	driver: cast trailer
Patricia Sammons	....	driver
Ralph Strickland	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Shelly Bancroft	....	acquisition consultant: Premiere Picture
Marjorie Chodorov	....	production accountant
Chris Compton	....	adr loop group
Maria Conti	....	consultant
Mitch Davis	....	production assistant
Ilda Diffley	....	production executive: Echo Lake
Jarrett Echols	....	production assistant
Travis Fowler	....	assistant: Andrew Spaulding
Molly Franken	....	assistant production coordinator
Jason Garrett	....	financier
Mike Groner	....	insurance broker
Amber Grunte	....	location manager
Adam Hamilton	....	photo double
Adam Hamilton	....	stand-in
Kent Hamilton	....	insurance agent
Mariah Breitel Hembree	....	post script services (as Mariah Breitel)
Gail Hunter	....	script supervisor
Meghan Johns	....	assistant: Peter Principato
Kenyea Johnson	....	office production assistant
Samuel Jerome Johnson	....	set location production assistant
Fiona Kihlstrom	....	financier
Hakan Kousetta	....	production legal advisor: financing
Erin Lander	....	adr loop group
Lynnette Layman	....	assistant: Lauren Hutton
Toney Lewis	....	chef
Bill McCrillis	....	chef assistant
Nan McCulloch	....	food stylist
Rob Meisenholder	....	co-first assistant accountant
Lisa Momberger	....	assistant: Demi Moore, Spokane
Carlotta Montanari	....	voice
Stephanie Morales	....	key craft service
Susan Muir	....	completion bond guarantor
Nadia Naguib	....	financier
Bridget Nichols	....	stand-in: kate
John Fitzgerald Page	....	stand in: Gary Cole
Elizabeth Palmore	....	production assistant
Jim Pavledakes	....	craft service assistant
David Peck	....	Consultant
J.P. Pettinato	....	consultant to producers
Noelle M. Pflum	....	production coordinator
Senia Phillips	....	animal trainer
Tristan Rayos	....	data IO support
Mark Reinking	....	assistant: Demi Moore (as Mark 'Hunter' Reinking)
Mike Riley	....	location manager
Crystle Roberson	....	assistant: Derrick Borte
Allison Robin	....	product placement
Steven Rogers	....	Consultant
Rebecca Many Rosenberg	....	assistant: Paul Young
Marcus Searancke	....	financier
Hakim Shakoor	....	chef assistant
Lisa G. Shillingburg	....	first assistant accountant
Kyle Smithers	....	production assistant
Mark Spencer	....	key set production assistant
Stan Swofford	....	medic coordinator
Alena Walker	....	financier (as Alena Trower)
Dana Wasdin	....	set production assistant
Ricky R. Weaver	....	set production assistant
Rebecca Napier White	....	production assistant
Charles Williams	....	location production assistant
Seth Zimmerman	....	assistant location manager
Irwin M. Rappaport	....	production attorney (uncredited)

Thanks
Ava Lauren Borte	....	special thanks
Ella Archer Borte	....	special thanks
Sandra Kahlert Borte	....	special thanks
John Carpenter	....	the producers wish to thank
Guido Giordano	....	special thanks
Paul Hook	....	special thanks
Andrew Hurwitz	....	special thanks
Doug MacLaren	....	special thanks
David Prensky	....	in memory of
Mary Vernieu	....	special thanks
James Zea	....	in memory of

Production Companies

• Echo Lake Entertainment
• Joneses, The
• Premiere Picture

Distributors

• Benelux Film Distributors (2010) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distributors (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• E1 Entertainment (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Pictures (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• MVP Entertainment (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2010) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Roadside Attractions (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2010) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2011) (Japan) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2009) (Switzerland) (all media)
• California Filmes (2010) (Brazil) (all media)
• D Productions (2009) (Turkey) (all media)
• Diamond Films (2011) (Argentina) (all media)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Italia Films (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Luxor Entertainment (2009) (Russia) (all media) (CIS)
• Multivision Multimedia India (2009) (Indonesia) (all media)
• Multivision Multimedia India (2009) (Singapore) (all media)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2010) (Romania) (all media)
• SF Home Entertainment (2010) (Sweden) (DVD)
• SF Home Entertainment (2010) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sahamongkol Film International (2009) (Thailand) (all media)
• Shani Films (2009) (Israel) (all media)
• Sookie Pictures (2013) (South Korea) (all media)
• Studio Solutions Group (SSG) (2009) (Taiwan) (all media)
• Sun Distribution (2009) (Uruguay) (all media) (Latin America)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2010) (Denmark) (all media)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2010) (Finland) (all media)
• TVA Films (2010) (Canada) (all media)
• UGC PH (2010) (France) (all media)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2011) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Wild Bunch (2009) (Germany) (all media)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2012) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Modern Digital (visual effects)
• Company 3 (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Anthony's Restaurants  set catering
• Aslan Charles Kousetta  legal advisors
• Camera Service Center  camera equipment
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Domain Group, The  clearances (as Clearance Domain)
• Genco  grip equipment
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  honeywagon, star trailers hair & make-up trailers, wardrobe trailers
• LoopEase  loop group
• Pacific Grip and Lighting  grip and electric equipment: Spokane
• Paskal Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Precision Post  editing facility
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production
• Transportation Resources  transportation equipment
• Vistaar Religare Film Fund  executive producer
• WSG Pictures  executive producer

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content, teen drinking and drug use

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:15A | Malaysia:18 | Netherlands:12 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #45737)

Filming Locations:

2780 Manor Bridge Dr, Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Echo Lake Entertainment

Trivia:

Real Housewife Kim Zolzeiak is at the party the Joneses hold.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the opening scene, the moving trucks are leaving but they couldn't physically fit if you look at the entrance enclosure of the guard shack

Quotes:

[first lines]
Steve Jones:Man, this thing rides smooth!
Kate Jones:It's very nice.
Steve Jones:Yes, it's like riding on the ass of an angel. I mean, I wish I could have sold a crossover like this, I wouldn't have been able to keep them in stock.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Kick-Ass/Death at a Funeral/The Joneses (#2.14)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

For a While

A Nutshell Review: The Joneses

This is a film all salespeople should watch, because it hammers close to home, and contains some nuggets of techniques to impart. Playing out like a social satire on consumerism and advertising, and just about poking fun at everyone who's guilty of keeping up with the Joneses, in literal fashion here a family of four becomes the quintessential personification of just those successful people whom we all aspire to become, emulate, or just plain desire to excel over.

We're introduced to what seemed like the perfect household, where Steve (David Duchovny) spends his time mowing the lawn and playing golf and you wonder how and how much dough and bacon he brings home. Kate (Demi Moore) occupying her time with all things necessary to look hot and beautiful, Jenn (Amber Heard) being the beautiful teenage daughter who's the flower of the school, and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth) the geeky but popular boy whose toys and gadgets make him the go to guy. Recently moving into a new neighbourhood, the Jones family soon become the envy of their neighbours, with everyone lapping up what they drive, drink, wear and have. If you want to be with the cool crowd, then you need to well, keep up with the Joneses.

Until of course the facade is pulled back, and we realize that it's all about in-your-face yet sublime piece of advertising, where product placement both in the reel, and don't forget the real world, are pretty much featured everywhere, allowing you to make mental note to get that golf club, or that Audi sports car if you have the dough. It's about the selling of a concept lifestyle, and this form of getting the word out, through actual talking about, and sampling the product, is nothing but a real world kind of inception, with the planting of mindshare firmly in the minds of the masses.

As mentioned, it's a must for sales people to watch, as it dwells on relationships or the lack thereof, when we fervently pursue numbers that define the occupation, with revenues, sales and profits being the sole focus of existence. Will we trade relationship for that climb up the corporate ladder? Will we not team up with fellow colleagues to ensure we capitalize on each other's strengths? And why not also go all out with joint marketing efforts? It also pays off for looking physically attractive, because like it or not, a beautiful face with the right kind of networking contacts and connections, get plenty of doors opened.

There's plenty to like from this Derrick Borte film from a Randy T. Dinzler story, which examines the effect of consumerism on relationships between family members, neighbours and society in general, critiquing in a nice manner without adding insult to injury when we see shades of ourselves in one or more of the characters. There's plenty of sharp wit, cheeky winks and double meanings going around, that you can't help but to chuckle at, and with the characters, who exercise the mantra of not mixing business with personal, but soon find themselves, through their various character arc subplots, crossing the line with various consequences.

In similar vein with Thank You For Smoking, The Joneses had plenty going for it as you sit back and watch society's faults and woes on display, with a dash of comedy and a tinge of pathos thrown in. For the cynic in me I would have liked it if it had ended on a bleaker note given how society self-destructs when some of us spend beyond our means just to show off, but I guess again in times like these where most parts of the world are bouncing out of a recession, that glimmer of hope about the light at the end of the tunnel would likely be more welcome. Highly recommended, and I'll not hesitate to shortlist this film as one of the best of this year!