The Joneses
Encyclopedia
The Joneses is a 2009 American film written and directed by Derrick Borte
. It stars Demi Moore
, David Duchovny
, Amber Heard
, and Ben Hollingsworth
. It premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival
on September 13, 2009. Roadside Attractions
later purchased the United States theatrical distribution rights. It had a limited release
on April 16, 2010 and was released on DVD & Blu-ray On August 10, 2010.
It received a theatrical release in Mexico
on August 20, 2010.
, professional salespeople who disguise product placement
as a daily routine. Their clothing, accessories, furniture, and even food are carefully planned and stocked by various companies to create visibility in a desirable consumer market. While Kate's team is highly effective, Steve is new to the team, Jenn is a closet nymphomaniac with a penchant for hitting on her fake fathers, and a 30-day review is fast approaching.
The team quickly ingratiates itself into the community, slowly shifting from displaying products to recommending them. Soon, local stores and businesses are stocking products based on the Joneses' trend-setting styles. However, at the end of the 30-day review, Steve discovers that he has the lowest sales numbers of the team, and Kate's job is endangered unless he can get his numbers up before the next review in 60 days. Eventually, Steve begins to find a sales tactic that works by playing on the fears of his neighbors and sympathizing with their droll, repetitive, unfulfilled careers. As someone who is frustrated with his job and disconnected from his fake "family," Steve turned to their products to keep himself entertained. When he recognizes this same pattern in his neighbors, his sales begin to steadily increase as he starts pitching products as the solution for suburban boredom and generating product "buzz" through unwitting ropers.
The team's dynamics become more complicated when Kate applies herself to the technique as well. Realizing that they can boost sales by perfecting their fake family dynamic to sell the image of a lifestyle, the lines between acting and reality start to break down. Things also get more complicated when Mick finds himself growing closer to an unpopular girl at the high school, Naomi, in whom he can confide, while Jenn's flirtation Alex Bayner (one of the men in the neighborhood) raises the suspicions of the neighbors. The team's cover is almost blown at several times during the job: once when an old acquaintance of Steve's recognizes him at a restaurant, again when Jenn's indiscretions nearly expose her real age, and after a party where Mick markets alcohol to minors.
Eventually, each member of the team finds that the constant pretense slowly erodes their individual desires. Jenn's dreams of running away with a rich, older man come to a close when she realizes that she was being used by Alex. Mick has a crisis of conscience when Naomi gets into a car accident after drinking too much of a wine cooler
that the family was marketing to teens. Worse, when he tries to reveal that he is homosexual
to Naomi's brother, he punches Mick in rage.
After creating nearly record-breaking numbers, Steve is offered the chance to join an "icon" unit alone. He refuses, knowing that this is Kate's dream and because he believes that the "family" can do it together. When Steve's closest friend in the community, Larry, reveals that he's going to lose his house because he's over-extended his credit, Steve tries again to see if Kate wants something more than a pretend marriage. She rebuffs him, and the next day Steve discovers to his horror that Larry has committed suicide over the debts. Grief-stricken, Steve confesses to the community about the real nature of his job. With their covers blown, the rest of the Joneses leave quickly and are reassigned to a new home. Steve refuses the offer to join an icon cell and tracks the family down to their new location. There, he reunites with Kate and tries one last time to convince her to leave. Though hesitant she follows him out of town and agrees to meet his family in Arizona
.
reports that 61% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 103 reviews, with an average score of 6.2/10. The Rotten Tomatoes rated "Top Critics" however, total 88% positive ratings, with an average score of 6.6/10
Derrick Borte
Derrick Stacey Borte is an American filmmaker known for the dark comedy, The Joneses , which he wrote, directed, and produced.-Early life:...
. It stars Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Demi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
, David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
, Amber Heard
Amber Heard
Amber Laura Heard is an American actress and model. She played the lead and title character in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006. Heard's first starring role came in 2007 on the CW television show Hidden Palms...
, and Ben Hollingsworth
Ben Hollingsworth (actor)
Ben Hollingsworth is a Canadian actor.He was born in Brockville, Ontario and attended St. Peter's Secondary School in Peterborough. After graduating from high school he enrolled at the National Theatre School of Canada.-Filmography:...
. It premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival
2009 Toronto International Film Festival
The 34th annual Toronto International Film Festival, was held held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 10 and September 19, 2009. The opening night gala presented the Charles Darwin biography Creation...
on September 13, 2009. Roadside Attractions
Roadside Attractions
Roadside Attractions is a US film distributor based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2003, specializing largely in independent films.Lionsgate bought a partial stake in Roadside in 2007.-List of films released by Roadside Attractions:...
later purchased the United States theatrical distribution rights. It had a limited release
Limited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
on April 16, 2010 and was released on DVD & Blu-ray On August 10, 2010.
It received a theatrical release in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
on August 20, 2010.
Plot
Kate, Steve, Mick, and Jenn Jones move into a high income suburb under the auspices of being a typical family relocating due to the changing nature of Kate and Steve's careers. In reality, Kate is the leader of a team of stealth marketersUndercover marketing
Undercover marketing is a subset of guerrilla marketing where consumers do not realize they are being marketed to. For example, a marketing company might pay an actor or socially adept person to use a certain product visibly and convincingly in locations where target consumers congregate...
, professional salespeople who disguise product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
as a daily routine. Their clothing, accessories, furniture, and even food are carefully planned and stocked by various companies to create visibility in a desirable consumer market. While Kate's team is highly effective, Steve is new to the team, Jenn is a closet nymphomaniac with a penchant for hitting on her fake fathers, and a 30-day review is fast approaching.
The team quickly ingratiates itself into the community, slowly shifting from displaying products to recommending them. Soon, local stores and businesses are stocking products based on the Joneses' trend-setting styles. However, at the end of the 30-day review, Steve discovers that he has the lowest sales numbers of the team, and Kate's job is endangered unless he can get his numbers up before the next review in 60 days. Eventually, Steve begins to find a sales tactic that works by playing on the fears of his neighbors and sympathizing with their droll, repetitive, unfulfilled careers. As someone who is frustrated with his job and disconnected from his fake "family," Steve turned to their products to keep himself entertained. When he recognizes this same pattern in his neighbors, his sales begin to steadily increase as he starts pitching products as the solution for suburban boredom and generating product "buzz" through unwitting ropers.
The team's dynamics become more complicated when Kate applies herself to the technique as well. Realizing that they can boost sales by perfecting their fake family dynamic to sell the image of a lifestyle, the lines between acting and reality start to break down. Things also get more complicated when Mick finds himself growing closer to an unpopular girl at the high school, Naomi, in whom he can confide, while Jenn's flirtation Alex Bayner (one of the men in the neighborhood) raises the suspicions of the neighbors. The team's cover is almost blown at several times during the job: once when an old acquaintance of Steve's recognizes him at a restaurant, again when Jenn's indiscretions nearly expose her real age, and after a party where Mick markets alcohol to minors.
Eventually, each member of the team finds that the constant pretense slowly erodes their individual desires. Jenn's dreams of running away with a rich, older man come to a close when she realizes that she was being used by Alex. Mick has a crisis of conscience when Naomi gets into a car accident after drinking too much of a wine cooler
Wine cooler
A wine cooler is an alcoholic beverage made from wine and fruit juice, often in combination with a carbonated beverage and sugar.Traditionally home-made, wine coolers have been bottled and sold by commercial distributors since the early 1980s, especially in areas where their lower alcohol content...
that the family was marketing to teens. Worse, when he tries to reveal that he is homosexual
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
to Naomi's brother, he punches Mick in rage.
After creating nearly record-breaking numbers, Steve is offered the chance to join an "icon" unit alone. He refuses, knowing that this is Kate's dream and because he believes that the "family" can do it together. When Steve's closest friend in the community, Larry, reveals that he's going to lose his house because he's over-extended his credit, Steve tries again to see if Kate wants something more than a pretend marriage. She rebuffs him, and the next day Steve discovers to his horror that Larry has committed suicide over the debts. Grief-stricken, Steve confesses to the community about the real nature of his job. With their covers blown, the rest of the Joneses leave quickly and are reassigned to a new home. Steve refuses the offer to join an icon cell and tracks the family down to their new location. There, he reunites with Kate and tries one last time to convince her to leave. Though hesitant she follows him out of town and agrees to meet his family in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Reception
The film has received mixed to positive reviews. Review aggregate Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reports that 61% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 103 reviews, with an average score of 6.2/10. The Rotten Tomatoes rated "Top Critics" however, total 88% positive ratings, with an average score of 6.6/10
Cast
- David DuchovnyDavid DuchovnyDavid William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
as Steve Jones - Demi MooreDemi MooreDemi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
as Kate Jones - Amber HeardAmber HeardAmber Laura Heard is an American actress and model. She played the lead and title character in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006. Heard's first starring role came in 2007 on the CW television show Hidden Palms...
as Jenn Jones - Ben HollingsworthBen Hollingsworth (actor)Ben Hollingsworth is a Canadian actor.He was born in Brockville, Ontario and attended St. Peter's Secondary School in Peterborough. After graduating from high school he enrolled at the National Theatre School of Canada.-Filmography:...
as Mick Jones - Gary ColeGary ColeGary Michael Cole is an American actor. Cole is known for his supporting roles in numerous film and television productions since the 1990s.-Early life:...
as Larry Symonds - Glenne HeadlyGlenne HeadlyGlenne Aimee Headly is an American actress of film, stage and television.-Early life:Glenne Headly was born in New London, Connecticut and her first years were spent living under the care of her mother in San Francisco and her maternal grandmother in Pennsylvania...
as Summer Symonds - Lauren HuttonLauren HuttonLauren Hutton is an American model and actress. She is best-known for her starring roles in the movies American Gigolo and Lassiter, and also for her fashion modeling career.-Personal life:...
as KC (the Joneses' boss) - Chris WilliamsChris Williams (actor)-Career:Williams, a graduate of Georgetown University, has made appearances on numerous television shows such as CSI, JAG, The Shield, Weeds, Reno 911!, Californication, and popularly as fictional rap artist Krazee-Eyez Killa on Curb Your Enthusiasm...
as Billy (salon owner) - Christine Evangelista as Naomi Madsen
- Rob Pralgo as Alex Bayner
- Tiffany Morgan as Melanie Bayner