The Joneses

TIFF: If ever there was a film perfectly attuned to the currentzeitgeist, it would be The Joneses. First-time writer-director Derrick Borte imbues a serious core theme – the wobbly undercurrents of a frenetic consumer culture – with humour, warmth and shots of clever, zesty fun.

Borte begins the film by showing us ourselves – or at least who we often aspire to be. We meet Steve Jones (David Duchovny), his wife, Kate (Demi Moore), and their children Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth) as they move into their monster home in an affluent suburb of a city somewhere in America. Friendly, confident and very good-looking, they are also loaded with the coolest, newest stuff.

The Joneses are much more than just the new neighbours. Within days, all four family members have insinuated their way into the community. Their most dedicated fans are their next-door neighbours Larry (Gary Cole) and Summer (Glenne Headly), a couple devoted to each other yet prone to keeping secrets as well. Despite the Joneses' success integrating into the community, soon the fissures in their family begin to spew. But it's not until an outright catastrophe occurs next door that they are forced to make choices about their priorities.

Duchovny is compelling as a man who doesn't really know who he is until it's almost too late, and Moore gives one of her best performances as a woman who uses her job as a shield against real emotional involvement. Cole and Headly are particularly affecting as a couple who have wholly committed themselves to the principles of the American dream but are ultimately betrayed by their own ideals.

Borte convincingly makes the case that as a society we have an almost unquenchable thirst to shop for the latest and the biggest everything, and he demonstrates how our possessions fill up the emotional hole where our self-worth should be. Given the events of the last year, there's no doubt that we need to figure out who we want to be, not what we want to buy.

--Jane Schoettle

Derrick Borte is an actor, writer, producer and director born in Frankfurt. He began his career as a graphic artist. After graduating from Old Dominion University with a B.F.A. in painting, he achieved success as an artist. He has also earned an M.A. in media studies from The New School in New York. The Joneses (09) is his feature-directing debut.
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Larry Richman: The directorial debut of Derrick Borte (who also wrote and produced), The Joneses was my first big disappointment of the festival. David Duchovny and Demi Moore settle down in a typical suburban home with their atypical suburban family. The premise is terrific -- things are not what they seem. But the comedic payoff just isn't there. The film is fairly slow and predictable for the first two and a half acts and the gags come too far apart. Long waits for a few laughs just don't cut it for what is supposed to be a raucous comedy. The latter half of the last act was excellent and full of surprises, though, which redeemed the movie somewhat. Production values are excellent with bright art direction and lighthearted score masking the mystery underneath. Despite its flaws, I give it a 3/5 for acting. There's no denying that Duchovny and Moore are magical together. Amber Heard is always a joy to watch.