Amor por Contrato

Before I saw this film, I really didn't know what to expect, but then as I started watching, it really delivered. David Duchovny and Demi Moore are fantastic as Kate and Steve Jones, the seemingly perfect couple in the ridiculously perfect neighborhood. I especially liked the way in which the director, Derrick Borte, conveyed a feeling to the audience that something just isn't quite right with this family. This movie really makes you think about what you buy and why exactly you buy it. It was highly entertaining and also had an important and rather satirical message about American consumerism and the art of "keeping up with the Joneses."

The Jones family moves into an upscale community and everything seems perfect, but this family has an agenda.

And, they say there is nothing new under the sun. HA ! Just wait until you see this story. It's more than just keeping up with the Joneses. Much more. A new twist has been added. Maybe it was just a matter of time before we saw something like this, but the wait is over. It's here now.

When I first watched the first few minutes in the beginning, I was wary. Hey, I remember The STING and I said, "Con." But, I was wrong. It's not that. Not exactly.

The acting performances by Duchovny and Moore are seamless. Their performances are so understated and honest that you buy into and enjoy everything. Nothing is overdone. The dialogues by all the cast are also seamless and honest. No really uncomfortable moments. You know something is wrong with this family, but what? Oh, you do find out early on and when you know, then you need to see how it ends. But, after that, everything ran smoothly and I kept asking myself, "what could go wrong? what could go wrong?" And, of course, something does.

Violence: No. Sex: Not really, you just hear the sounds Nudity: Yes, briefly in the beginning. Sexual content: Yes. Teenage drinking: Yes. Language: Yes.

"The Joneses" asks, can you keep up with the Joneses (David Duchovny and Demi Moore)? And the answer is yes. The plot has enough original twists and turns to keep it interesting, but not so many that you can still notice the few levels of nuance and intelligence that they added.

A very original take on the "keeping up with the Joneses" idea - everybody wants what the Joneses have. It may sound like any other film where we watch rich people live their selfish lives, but they quickly turn that on its head. It's much more clever and interesting. The creative premise can seem a bit far-fetched but it was immediately brought back down to Earth with the realism of the characters. I was completely intrigued by these characters, and particularly impressed with the emotion that was shining from beneath Duchovny's handsome surface.

I had no idea what to expect from "The Joneses". And, well, that's exactly what I got - something that I never could have expected. And it was great. This film is original and intelligent, especially with some of their perceptions of society. It can be a bit cynical at times but that just adds some dark humour which all the best films have. I highly recommend "The Joneses", especially for people who like a little bit of thought and originality in films.

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.

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Michael Buffa-Editor, Popcorn Jury

Could this really happen? Maybe not, but the consequences of today's, "The one who dies with the most toys wins!" attitude are shown to great effect in this film. Previous reviewers have said the acting wasn't up to much but I disagree and was glued to the screen all the way through. I'm amazed that The Joneses wasn't marketed more, I never saw any press about it and as a regular cinema goer definitely would have paid my eight quid. Maybe no explosions, mentions of terrorism or national security doomed it to DVD release in the UK. Not a comedy, not a thriller but something between which was sometimes dark and at others hilarious. I felt myself connecting with the main characters which, as a Brit, I don't often do in American films. Overall a good film (hence 7 out of 10) and worth ninety five minutes of your time.