The Joneses

Since I didn't read the plot summary before watching, I absolutely didn't understand the first few minutes. But then the lights came up and I started having a great time. Everything rests on an original idea and unfortunately falls flat with a bland ending. But the dramatic plot worked quite well on me and I had to hold back the tears a bit. David Duchovny is always the same, but I guess I'll never get tired of him. Demi Moore is a hottie even at her age. A weaker 4 stars. (04/02/2012)

The Joneses would like to be a smart satire that targets the consumerist lifestyle and the American dream, but the film lacks balls and loses points by operating within the well-established safe framework of mainstream American films produced by calculating managers of big studios. The film doesn't work as comedy or drama because, at crucial moments, it lacks the courage to truly bite, be cynical, and be merciless. However, it is a professionally made film that is unquestionably above-average, and for about 3/4 of it, I thought I was watching a movie that I would give 4 stars to, even though they would be weaker, they would still be achieved. But then came Steve's confession to lies and manipulation, after which the film basically became a cheap morality tale, and the final happy ending topped it off. But then I reflected and realized that the film fails in what it wants to be (among other things because it's absurd for top-paid stars, who are famous for their consumerist lifestyle, to shoot an anti-consumerist satire), but on the other hand, it works very well as a romantic love story with an original plot. It's solidly cast and acted (I would like to note that I don't particularly like Demi Moore, but here she matched the type and acting required of her). Overall impression: 70%. (03/01/2014)

Duchovny took Hank Moody’s charm, injected it into the straight-laced Steve Jones, pulling this picture to the top (in my opinion, at least). The five stars maybe aren’t completely clean, but the theme that The Joneses plays with grabbed me by the heart. This is the dream job that I always wanted to do. Demi is cute and looks a bit better than when she was younger, and Amber Heard... wowie, she’s a goddess - so much so I have this teenager-like urge inside me to stick her poster up on the wall above my bed ;-). Sims addicts and people who want to have the latest gadgets (HTC communicators, MP-52 golf clubs, the latest PlayStation, HD TV, Audi R8) as soon as (in)humanly possible. The ending then falls into the rut of cliché, but thanks to the chemistry of the main couple, it isn’t so awful. (03/08/2010)

The Joneses is a bitter original comedy. Thank God. I really liked how unpredictably the plot unfolded, I was really surprised by the first night's (literal) revelation, and the well-cast actors who switched from the "Jones" to the "employee" at the right moments were also great. I could say that The Joneses is a pleasant spectacle, except that probably wouldn't be true. A well-made unpleasant spectacle sounds better. And I'm going to be even more careful from now on when someone tells me "You gotta have that!" about something. (26/01/2013)