The
Joneses is an independent film about a very wealthy, seemingly perfect
family with a big secret. In reality, they’re not a family at all—they’ve been
planted by a corporation as agents of “stealth marketing” to show off expensive
products and convince others to buy them. Although certainly funny at times, The Joneses is far from the typical
comedy. It is not full of jokes, and there are not all that many laugh-out-loud
moments. It has been classified as a satire or black comedy, but even then I am
not sure this movie totally fits into those categories. Nevertheless, it offers
an entertaining (if not always hysterical) look at our consumerist society.
Despite
being an independent film, The Joneses
has the production value of a typical movie. The camera techniques, while
nothing special, are pretty standard, and include typical shots such as the
over the shoulder shot, which is used quite a lot in conversations between
“family” members. The central conflict of this film is a moral dilemma, which
is emphasized throughout the film as the main characters’ attempts to sell
their luxurious lifestyle cause others to get hurt. The “father,” Steve, who is
new to the industry, especially wrestles with the lies he is telling, bringing
out the movie’s man vs. himself theme. Ultimately, he must decide whether his
lavish life is worth the true cost of pretending to be someone he’s not.
Although it is not exactly what I
was expecting, The Joneses has a fascinating
premise and manages to be both compelling and thought provoking.
4/5
0 comments:
Post a Comment