The Joneses (2009)

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.

Director:

Derrick Borte

Writers:

Randy T. Dinzler (story by) (as Randy Dinzler), Derrick Borte

Stars:

Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

"The Joneses", a social commentary on our consumerist society. Perfect couple Steve and Kate Jones, and their gorgeous teen-aged children Jenn and Mick, are the envy of their posh, suburban neighborhood filled with McMansions and all the trappings of the upper middle class. Kate is the ultimate trend setter - beautiful, sexy, dressed head-to-toe in designer labels. Steve is the admired successful businessman who has it all: a gorgeous wife, big house and an endless supply of high-tech toys. Jenn and Mick rule their new school as they embody all that is hip and trendy - cool clothes, fast cars and the latest gadgets. But as the neighbors try to keep up with the Joneses, none are prepared for the truth about this all- too perfect family.

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Plot Keywords:

materialism | envy | gadget | fake family | unhappy marriage | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Most of the high school scenes were filmed at Carlton J. Kell High School, in Marietta, Georgia (USA). Most of the background students in the school scenes were actual junior and senior students of Kell.

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Goofs

(at around 13 mins) Steve comes home saying "hello" but his lips are clearly saying something else.

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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.

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Crazy Credits

At the beginning of the end credits, the photos of several "icon families" are shown, popping out on a world map.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World/Eat Pray Love/The Expendables (2010)

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Soundtracks

Mooove
Written by Boots Ottestad
Performed by Boots Ottestad (as Boots)
Courtesy of Razor and Tie

User Reviews

The Joneses: Inconsistently Influencing Others By Living the American Dream

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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 April 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Joneses

Filming Locations:

2780 Manor Bridge Dr, Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$509,689, 18 April 2010

Gross USA:

$1,475,746

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,043,835

Company Credits

Production Co:

Echo Lake Entertainment, Premiere Picture, The Joneses

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1