THE JONESES

US, 2009, 96 minutes, Colour.
Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard, Gary Cole, Ben Hollingsworth, Glenne Hedley, Lauren Hutton.
Directed by Derrick Borte.

The Joneses is quite a smart comedy with a satirical moral perspective. It gives fuller meaning to the phrase, Keeping up with the Joneses because that is precisely what the Joneses are about. If the Russians could insert sleeper Communist cells and agents into ordinary USA, then why can't the capitalists!

The Joneses are presented and present themselves as the fulfilment of the American dream, the consumerist American dream. They have everything that opens and shuts, everything stylish that does just that bit more than other products. They are skilled in showing them off and mentioning them quite openly but discreetly so that everyone rushes out in covetous glee to buy and buy and buy.

Steve, the fake dad, is played with nonchalent charm by David Duchovny, capitalising on his past career as a car salesman with a genially chatty pitch. He was also a golf instructor. Seeing him in action makes us realise how susceptible competitive players are out on the golf course. Demi Moore fits her role perfectly, glamorous but with that bit of steel as the boss of the cell (it is actually called a cell). Amber Heard is the attractive but amoral daughter who has to learn about life's knocks the hard way. Ben Hollingworth shows a vulnerable ambiguity as Michael.

The focus on the Symonds next door becomes the counterpoint to the Joneses. The wife rehearses a spiel for selling cosmetics to her nighbours. The husband, feeling neglected by his wife, befriends Steve, especially in playing golf, but is the key character keeping up with the Joneses, vainly assuming that Steve is jealous of him, never realising how Steve is playing him, and shows how disastrous is the envious attempt to keep up, how self-destructive with tragic fallout for others. The Symonds are played very well by Glenne Headley and Gary Cole.

While it seems that these family cells are breeding success all over America (and, according to images in the final credits, on all other continents except Australia!), these Joneses have to undergo a crisis of honesty, self-worth and moral stances.

The dialogue is clever. The cast keep the satire believable. And the film, even with its 'American' happy ending, is an effective contemporary warning fable.

1. The title, keeping up with the Joneses? The title The Joneses as a market ploy?

2. The introduction, the ideal family, parents, teenage children, the car, moving, the talk in the car, the bonding? The house, the neighbours? The luxury of the house? School, the social world?

3. The family at home, the audience realising that they were not the typical family, Jen and her approaching Steve in his bedroom, Steve and Kate having separate bedrooms? The fake family, an act, for business?

4. The contrast with the Symonds next door? Summer and her rehearsing her sales spiel for the cosmetics, Larry and his frustrations? Their being nice to the Joneses, the gift, touring the house? Becoming friends? Larry as a golfer, Steve and his golf? The Symonds and their house, the gifts for Summer, Larry’s jealousy of Steve, the rivalry with the cars, Larry’s financial collapse, thinking that Steve was jealous of him? His debts, worrying about Summer, his drinking, spoiling her presentation, his killing himself? The moral of the story of keeping up with the Joneses?

5. The family dramatising the ideal, Steve at the golf course, Kate and her going to get her hair done, meeting Billy, the contacts with all the women in the city? The friends? Jen and the girls at school, Mike and his following with the boys, their success, throwing parties?

6. The reality, Kate as boss, hard, ambitious, no hanky-panky with Steve, her attitude towards the kids, the reports to K.C., K.C’s visits, the flowcharts and the Power Point presentations, the stimulus to do better work? Steve and his lack of success, but improving, going up the scale of percentages? Jen and her affair, Mike with the girls, getting high, the approach to the boy, being bashed? The American dream – and the difference between the ideal world and the real world? The real world under the fake?

7. The examples of their products, the party, saying the brand names, speaking like television commercials, the sushi and the other food, the men and the golf clubs? The interior golf course and Steve using it? Kate not being so successful? The technology, the gadgets, the kids at school, the perfumes, the drinks? Orders and evaluation?

8. Steve at the golf course, with Larry, the background of his being a golf pro and selling cars, the almost-expose at the restaurant? Getting his coaching from the young man in the store? Persuading Larry to give gifts to Summer? The earrings? His being successful at this job?

9. The women of the city, together, making comparisons, the jogging sequence and the buying the trainers?

10. The affluent neighbourhoods of American cities, families with this kind of income? Status and reputation?

11. Jen, her being with the married man, going to the boat, the wife, sending her off, disillusionment, ringing Kate, Kate to the rescue? Learning the facts of life the hard way?

12. Mike, Naomi and the drugs, his almost telling the truth? With Naomi, her drinking, her brother, driving the car, the speed, the accident? Mike and his approach to the brother, his being hit? The police coming to the house, making a routine enquiry, believing the spiel of Steve and Kate?

13. Steve and Kate themselves, going out to a meal, its becoming a date, sharing, their stories, the relationship?

14. K.C. and her visits, wanting to recruit Steve because of his improvement, Kate wanting to become an icon, K.C. offering Steve icon status?

15. Larry, the discussions with Steve, his wanting to do right by Summer? The bankruptcy, the trail of bills, his death in the swimming pool? Steve and the impact of the truth, his speaking to the group, telling the truth, the family getting in the car and leaving, Summer slapping him?

16. Larry, the questions about money, gifts, keeping up, jealousies? The effect on Steve?

17. Kate unable to leave with Steve, the setting up of the new cell, their going through the same routines, the neighbours, the meal? Steve arriving, the plea to Kate to come with him? Mike and his talking with Steve, explaining that he was now a college student, coming out, life was better? Jen and her sympathy that Steve came?

18. Kate finally driving, picking up Steve on the highway? Credible? The Hollywood happy ending?

19. The credits sequences, the picture of cells throughout the whole world, a world of consumerism?