"The JONESES" 3 ***STARS

You've heard the saying keeping up with the Joneses. Well these very important people actually get paid to entice people to keep up with them in the new dark comedy "The Joneses"starring David Duchovny and Demi Moore. Their characters are Kate & Steve a married couple who seem to have the perfect family complete with beautiful daughter and handsome son. The Joneses give the impression they're living the "American Dream" but they're really selling it. They have just moved into this exclusive upscale community with every gadget and expensive toy imaginable. 

Their home has exquisite furniture that isn't on the market yet. They have top of the line cars, state of the art sound systems, flat screen TV's and expensive clothes and jewelry. But what the neighbors don't know is that being "The Joneses" is really their job. They are a top selling cast of salespeople, a fake family that moves to these neighborhoods pushing the latest "must have" items to their new neighbors for the marketing company they work for. Of course the neighbors who are first impressed, become envious and they absolutely have to have what "The Joneses have. There's no hard sell here the Joneses just tell them where they bought the items and of course the neighbors bite the bait. The job itself can be stressful, distancing and cold because the fake family don't know each other, they're not even friends. So on their days off they go off and do things that puts the fake family's cover at risk.
"The Joneses" is a startling eye opener. It clearly shows that when your value and self worth is based on material things you never feel like you measure up unless you have that next new thing. Some of the neighbors even spend money they don't have to keep up with the Joneses causing a whole different set of problems.

Even this fake family wants to connect in a real way because deception, as a way of life, even if it's your job, is tough to maintain. Steve (Duchovny) is attracted to Kate (Moore) who's trying to win a coveted prize by become the company's top seller. Steve (Duchovny) is tired of the fake life and wants a real relationship with Kate(Moore). Problems occur when Steve (Duchovny) becomes the top seller surpassing Kate (Moore) who's worked for years trying to reach her goal.

There's more drama in this dark comedy than there is humor it really didn't seem funny to me at all but there are some tongue in cheek humerous moments. It's hard to see it as funny because the joke is on the neighbors who believe the Joneses are real. The real impact comes from the dark message of this film: when you equate self worth with net worth you will always end up chasing a fake life and of course feeling empty inside! This movie is worth seeing it makes you see what's really valuable in life! Also look out for Kim Zolciak from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" she's an extra in the movie.

Dark Comedy

R

3***Stars