Review of The Joneses (2010) by Chads — 17 Apr 2010

As the ongoing scandals at Goldman/Sachs and AIG continue to unravel with more shocking revelations about the unmitigated greed of those unconscionable go-getters, the last thing that the moviegoing public needs is a satire about capitalism without bite.

And even worse, a satire that stops being satirical. Imagine a "Network"(the great Sidney Lumet film about the dumbing down of journalism), in which Howard Beale(Peter Finch) isn't gunned down because Diana Christensen(Faye Dunaway) suddenly had a change of heart? It's because the screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky followed through with its convictions that the 1976 film is considered to be a classic, instead of a near-miss.

Like any great satirical movie, "Network", and even Peter Weir's "The Truman Show", went a little over-the-top to make its topical point resonate with the moviegoer. What "The Joneses" lack is a killer instinct.

It's perfectly acceptable for Steve(David Duchovny) and Kate(Demi Moore) to have the obligatory vulnerable moment or two, but as push comes to shove, at the end of the day, their quest for the almighty dollar is supposed to win out.

Due to our current economic landscape, where corporations take out life insurance policies on its workforce, in the aftermath of a neighborhood tragedy, "The Joneses" fails to acknowledge that death is a industry.

The marketers should be unveiling their line of high-end coffins, but instead of going for the kill, the satire goes flaccid with Steve's mawkish "mea culpa". While Christof(Ed Harris) of "The Truman Show" deals with his disobedient reality TV star accordingly, KC(Lauren Hutton) disappoints the moviegoer by being feminine and nurturing when she should be at her most angriest.