The social satire, The Joneses, is a smart, well-written film that brings new meaning to the term "buying power." Released theatrically in North America in limited release on April 16, 2010, Demi Moore and David Duchovny star alongside flashy cars and designer clothing in a film all about mass consumption and consumerism.
Keeping Up with The Joneses: Plot Summary of The Joneses
Meet the Joneses: they’re the postcard-perfect new neighbours in an affluent gated community. They have the latest in home furnishings, high-tech gadgets, and sports cars. To top it off, they are incredibly good-looking and highly likeable people who throw such amazing parties that their neighbours can’t help but clamor to be like them. The Joneses are who the audience aspires to be. Kate (Demi Moore) and Steve Jones (David Duchovny) make friends with their neighbours, Larry and Summer, who — more than anyone — seek the approval of their affluent new friends, and will stop at nothing to be like them. When catastrophe strikes, both families must re-evaluate their lifestyles and make difficult choices that define who they are and who they want to be.
American Consumerism and Product Placement
A smart film, The Joneses is both a commentary on and satire of American consumer society; a society that strives to have the biggest and best of everything, including the latest high tech gadgets, microwaveable food, and designer clothing. Kate and Steve Jones and their children are themselves product placements for the ideal American suburban family. The almost unquenchable thirst for possessions, products and lifestyle is taken to extreme limits in the film, but never feels too fantastical or out of touch with reality. The film can be interpreted as a cautionary tale, urging viewers to curb their insatiable drive for material goods. The products the Joneses have are as much characters in the story as the Joneses’ are themselves.
The Dark Side of Consumption and Consumerism
First-time director Derrick Borte frames the desirable products and luxury goods as if he were shooting a high-end commercial. During the world premiere screening at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, Borte commented that he had a hard time gaining permission to shoot certain products, since consumerism and marketing are painted in such a dark light in the film. Not to be mistaken for a film full of product placements and brand name-dropping, The Joneses is a film about people, no matter how superficial they may seem. The people in the film maintain some form of free will against consumer society and possess the ability to rise above the marketing bombardment of products that surround us every day, a constant and real-life challenge for many.
Real-life Issues of Consumerism
With debates about recessions and our current economic climate all around, The Joneses has come at a time when people are being forced to re-evaluate the importance of things they once coveted, just as the characters in the film begin to examine their own lives.
The subject matter in The Joneses is quite unique as it is blatantly about consumerism without being too aggressive. It also does not take the stance of “buying is bad” but merely presents the underside of extreme consumption and the excessive tactics of marketing. Whether this film will be judged as cop-out by some for not taking a harder stance is irrelevant, since the story stands on its own well-heeled legs without depending on being taken as a “message film.”
Demi Moore and David Duchovny Star in The Joneses
Demi Moore stars as Kate, the head-of-household in the family. Kate is full of ambition and quite determined to make herself and her family successful in their new neighbourhood. Even with her intense motivation and steely determination, Kate is quite likable, as she is a friendly and gracious host to her new neighbours. It is a credit to Moore that she is such an enjoyable character to watch on screen. Kate’s husband Steve, played by David Duchovny, is second in command. Possessing more "human" qualities than Kate, Steve is the hero of the film, with the audience cheering him on as he comes to terms with his manufactured lifestyle. Duchovny plays Steve to the hilt, filled with his trademark smirky charm and deadpan one-liners.
The film is worth a look for those who are interested in the ideas behind our mass consumption, or in the mood for a smart film with well-developed characters.
Rachel West - Rachel resides in Toronto, Ontario and works as an Online Merchandiser for Entertainment, writing about the latest DVDs and CDs for a high ...
