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Everyone wants to keep up with the Joneses. They're good-looking, friendly, popular, affluent, and they always seem ahead of the curve when it comes to what they drive, wear, play and consume. They never boast. They never have to. People just plain want to be like them. And you had better stop reading now, because it's impossible to say more without a spoiler.

OK, for those still in the room, I wonder how many will really be surprised by the big plot “reveal.” From the first moments of dialogue, there seems to be something off about the Joneses. Nothing is made explicit for a time, but they don't seem to relate to one another as family members. There's something they understand and we don't.

The fact is, they aren't a family; they're a marketing unit. Marketing people talk about “early adopters”: People who influence a peer group by being the first to know about, use, wear or attend something. At a conference I attended in Boulder, Colo., last week, total strangers followed Andy Ihnatko and his iPad around like a man with a T-bone at a dog pound. The Joneses are professional early adapters, paid to impersonate a family unit and consume the sponsor's products.

Among other advantages to this story idea, it makes product placement necessary, not merely venal. If you don't leave this movie more aware of the new Audi models, you slept through it. The Joneses never make a point of anything. It's just that Steve Jones ( David Duchovny ) makes great shots with his new golf clubs. Kate Jones ( Demi Moore ) entertains so brilliantly. Their teenagers Jennifer ( Amber Heard ) and Mick ( Ben Hollingsworth ) wear such cool stuff. If the Joneses don't have a dog, maybe that's because there's not enough money in dog retailing.

It would seem to be a comfortable existence, consuming the best products ahead of the market and never having to pay for them. It's not that easy. It means denying your own impulses to be honest and confiding. Suppressing your own tastes. Not feeling genuine. Ask yourself who in your crowd insisted you had to see “ How to Train Your Dragon ” in 3-D, when you wanted to see it in 2-D, and what you really wanted to see was “ My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done .” That person is a Jones. You, however, are a Larry or Summer ( Gary Cole and Glenne Headly ), the next-door neighbors who are always playing catch-up. You have ceded control of your taste to someone you admire for superficial reasons. This is a doomed enterprise, for you will never, ever catch up, and by definition you can never take the lead, because the Joneses define the race.

“The Joneses” not surprisingly finds troubling flaws in the lives of this professional family. Try as they will to be disciplined and on message, they have emotions of their own. Some of them involve sex. Others involve a feeling of inner worthlessness. The strongest is Kate, played by the great-looking Demi Moore as a capable team leader aiming for a promotion. Steve is a former golf pro, so he's no stranger to the challenge of playing a role model, but his decency runs deeper than Kate's.

As for the kids Jennifer and Mick, well, even their names are popular; Jennifer is the 67th most popular name in the nation and Michael is the third. But they're teenagers, and you know how that goes. So many raging hormones, either to follow or suppress. That Jennifer and Mick are so attractive, and so advanced for their age, complicates their inner lives. At that age, you haven't been completely tamed by the corporate mind-set.

“The Joneses” was directed and co-written by Derrick Borte , an advertising man, and contains a good deal of dark cynicism. It also hopes to entertain, and those two goals don't fit together easily. Either this is a tragic family or a satirical one, and the film seems uncertain which way to jump. In a perfect film, the noose of their inauthentic lives would draw more tightly, more swiftly, around the Joneses, and the movie might be angrier.

Still, Demi Moore is good as a corporate team player with no conscience (she could have played the George Clooney role in “ Up in the Air ”), and the others adequately act around the problems of the screenplay. It's just that somehow this movie should acknowledge how very close to life it is, and how in our society, you don't have to pay the Joneses. They learn their roles from television and work for free.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film Credits

The Joneses (2010)

Rated R for language, some sexual content, teen drinking and drug use

David Duchovny as Steve Jones

Amber Heard as Jennifer Jones

Ben Hollingsworth as Mick Jones

Lauren Hutton as Supervisor

Demi Moore as Kate Jones

Gary Cole as Larry

Glenne Headly as Summer

Directed by

• Derrick Borte
• Randy T. Dinzler

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The joneses — film review.

In the hands of first-time writer-director Derrick Borte, what could have been a biting black comedy taking product placement to the logical extreme instead is so obviously predictable that even a savvy cast led by David Duchovny and Demi Moore can't sell it.

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TORONTO — A self-satisfied satire about a quartet of salespeople posing as your average affluent American family, “The Joneses” certainly had a workable premise at its disposal.

But in the hands of first-time writer-director Derrick Borte, what could have been a biting black comedy taking product placement to the logical extreme instead is so obviously predictable that even a savvy cast led by David Duchovny and Demi Moore can’t sell it.

Emerging from the Toronto International Film Festival without a domestic-distribution deal, the film can’t help but draw comparisons to “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” another ill-timed comedy about raging consumerism that few found funny given the current economic climate.

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From the get-go, there’s something a little too perfect about the Joneses, the attractive, confident brood that recently moved into their fabulously furnished home in a decidedly upscale suburb.

As it turns out, Steve (Duchovny), Kate (Moore) and their teenaged kids, Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth), aren’t a real family at all but a grouping of slick shills assembled by boss Lauren Hutton with the intention of getting the neighbors to lust after their cool stuff.

They would include the highly acquisitive Larry (Gary Cole) and his wife (Glenne Headly), who turn out to be seriously overextended as it is, and you don’t need a sales manual to see where things are headed.

Borte, who comes from the world of commercials, signals every intended plot twist and turn so far in advance, it’s way too easy to keep up with “The Joneses.” One expects a subliminal message of some sort, but it’s all on the surface.

It still works up to a point, largely because of the persuasive qualities of its cast, notably Duchovny’s raffish charm and Moore’s spirited hustle, which in tandem generates a palpable chemistry.

Or maybe that’s just what they wanted you to think.

Venue: Toronto International Film Festival Production: Echo Lake Prods. Cast: David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Gary Cole, Glenne Headly, Lauren Hutton Director-screenwriter: Derrick Borte Producers: Doug Mankoff, Andrew Spaulding, Derrick Borte, Kristi Zea. Executive producers: Sheetal Talwar, Tom Luse, Paul Young, Peter Principato Director of photography: Yaron Orbach Production designer: Kristi Zea Music: Nick Urata Costume designer: Renee Kalfus Editor: Janice Hampton Sales: FilmNation Entertainment/ICM No rating, 93 minutes

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The joneses, common sense media reviewers.

Teen sex, drugs, drinking pop up in satire on materialism.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

It's simple, really: Things won't make you happy.

The Joneses are seen as role models in the movie,

A teenager punches another guy who makes a pass at

A teenager is seen quickly getting into the bed of

Some strong language, including "bitch," "s--t," "

Where to start? The film is laden with labels, eve

Social drinking; teens imbibe alcohol at a party a

Parents need to know that this worthy satire pokes fun at materialism while making it look very tantalizing in the process (thanks to a load of product placement throughout the film). One of the teen girl characters is sexually intimate with at least two older men, and we see her breasts briefly and hear sexual sounds…

Positive Messages

It's simple, really: Things won't make you happy. They can even make you downright miserable. Still, there's a reason why spending to get them is so alluring. But there's a bigger price to pay than what's on the receipt; and behind every product is a salesperson who cares not a whit about what happens to you if you buy more than you can afford.

Positive Role Models

The Joneses are seen as role models in the movie, and yet clearly they're flawed and, more important, happily so. (They sure do make the pursuit of products look so good.) Others covet what they have and make spending decisions accordingly. Teenagers drink and drive drunk, and hold in high regard those who have the latest and greatest (just like their parents). Many of them suffer the consequences, and the downsides of their seemingly perfect lifestyles are unmasked.

Violence & Scariness

A teenager punches another guy who makes a pass at him and yells out a homophobic slur. A couple argues loudly. A character commits suicide by drowning himself.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A teenager is seen quickly getting into the bed of an older man naked, though the audience doesn't get a glimpse of anything else but her breasts (and only briefly at that). She is also shown under covers with her shoulders bared, making out with another, also older, man. They're also heard moaning off-camera. A couple kisses passionately a few times. Some sexual innuendos.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Some strong language, including "bitch," "s--t," "ass" and "f--k." Also, one "Goddamn."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Where to start? The film is laden with labels, everything from Van Cleef and Arpels, Audi, MBT sneakers, Dell, YSL, Style.com, and even a toilet named Toto. Many logos are visible, many products name-checked. The movie is practically the Home Shopping Network. But all this is intended to poke fun at our cultural obsessions with products like these.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Social drinking; teens imbibe alcohol at a party and drive while loaded; teen pot-smoking and diet pill overuse.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this worthy satire pokes fun at materialism while making it look very tantalizing in the process (thanks to a load of product placement throughout the film). One of the teen girl characters is sexually intimate with at least two older men, and we see her breasts briefly and hear sexual sounds, though no activity appears onscreen. A teen boy kisses another boy before being rebuffed. Teens drink alcohol and drive drunk. There's some pot-smoking and diet pill-popping, along with a good amount of swearing ("f--k" and "bitch"). Yet the movie has the potential to start some meaningful discussions about materialism and how products are sold to consumers. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (1)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

They've just moved in, and yet it's already hard to keep up with the Joneses. First, they're gorgeous. Steve ( David Duchovny ) is witty and wired with all the latest gadgets, and has a mean golf swing. Kate ( Demi Moore ) looks half her age, hosts a mean dinner party, and keeps a beautiful home filled with covetable things. Their kids ( Amber Heard and Ben Hollingsworth) are stylish and instantly popular at the high school. It's no surprise then that their next-door neighbors, Larry ( Gary Cole ) and Summer (Glenne Headly), want to be them. Little do they know, however, that the Joneses are picture-perfect for a reason, and that reason strikes at the heart of every American consumer. They have products to sell, and their role is to make their neighbors buy them.

Is It Any Good?

How wonderful it is to fall in love with David Duchovny once more; THE JONESES gives him another chance to dazzle with his dry wit and observational stance. As Steve, he leads the audience in this satirical journey into the heart and soul(lessness) of abject consumerism. (Moore is a revelation, too. Finally, she has a part that doesn't just trade on her looks, even though appearances matter much here.) It's mostly successful; first-time director Derrick Borte handles the enterprise assuredly, and the supporting cast, especially Cole, adds layers to what could have been a superficial indictment of materialism and advertising. We are living in a material world, indeed.

Nevertheless, a shift in tone near the end, though adding gravity to the proceedings, diminishes the cheeky glee that earlier gives the film such lift. (Think Ocean's 11 .) The Joneses has a message, we understand that, but in making sure it gets delivered, it loses its verve. Must a movie become self-serious in order to make its very true, and very important, point?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the marketing tactic that the Joneses employ: Is it believable? Is it, in fact, happening now to a certain extent?

What is marketing , and how does it work in everyday life? What makes consumers want to buy what they do?

What are the consequences of overspending? What is its allure considering how destructive it can be?

Movie Details

• In theaters : April 16, 2010
• On DVD or streaming : August 9, 2010
• Cast : Amber Heard , David Duchovny , Demi Moore , Gary Cole
• Director : Derrick Borte
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Bisexual actors
• Studio : Roadside Attractions
• Genre : Drama
• Run time : 96 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : language, some sexual content, teen drinking and drug use
• Last updated : October 27, 2023

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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• DVD & Streaming

The Joneses

• Comedy , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

• April 16, 2010
• David Duchovny as Steve Jones; Demi Moore as Kate Jones; Amber Heard as Jenn Jones; Ben Hollingsworth as Mick Jones; Gary Cole as Larry; Glenne Headly as Summer; Christine Evangelista as Naomi; Chris Williams as Billy; Lauren Hutton as KC

Home Release Date

• August 10, 2010
• Derrick Borte

Distributor

• Roadside Attractions

Movie Review

An old cliché insists that you can’t have it all. The Joneses, however, would beg to differ.

Rolling into their new, über-upscale gated community in a gleaming Audi SUV, the Joneses are determined to make their mark. “We are gonna do some damage in this town,” Steve promises his wife, Kate, and their two high schoolers, Jenn and Mick.

Their strategy? Living life so well that everyone around them can’t help but take notice. And life is indeed good for the Joneses. They want for nothing, and they glide through their days with a stylish, effortless panache that leaves everyone in their wake aching to live the dream that seems to be reality for them.

Like all “perfect” families, however, the Joneses have a secret. And theirs is a whopper: They’re not a family at all. Instead, they’re four employees of a “stealth marketing” firm that provides them with all manner of products to integrate into their well-heeled lifestyle. The Joneses’ job? Parading the “good life” so conspicuously that it compels friends and neighbors to keep up.

Which means, of course, coughing up cash to acquire all the stuff the Joneses “casually” dangle in front of everybody—from cars to golf clubs, skateboards to perfume, gourmet food to facial treatments, jogging suits to smart phones.

But as another old saw warns, you can’t buy happiness. And that’s a reality everyone in this film eventually has to reckon with.

[ Note: The following sections contain spoilers. ]

Positive Elements

The Joneses is a lot of things: a drama, a comedy, a skewering satirical take on our culture’s addiction to consumerism. But more than those things, The Joneses is a postmodern fable that addresses the question of how we can find happiness in a world in which there’s always something new to want. Like all good fables, this one dispenses a down-to-earth moral: You can’t have it all. And even if you did, you still wouldn’t be satisfied.

That’s a truism ad agencies work hard to circumvent. Marketers of all stripes promise that if we just had x, y or z, we’d be happy. Content. The Jones family is the physical embodiment of that promise—living, breathing product placement so integrated into the life of a supposedly real family that their neighbors don’t even realize they’re being targeted. Or, as the film’s tagline says, “They’re not just living the American Dream, they’re selling it.”

And there are lots of life lessons to learn as we see that dream turn into a nightmare for almost everyone. Things begin to unravel first for the Joneses’ neighbors, Larry and Summer. The late-fortysomething couple has a house almost as nice as the Joneses, but not quite. And so Larry and Summer spend much of their time trying to match their neighbor’s lifestyle. Not only does this pursuit end in foreclosure, it utterly stifles Larry and Summer’s relationship with each other. When Larry does try to connect meaningfully with his wife, she’s too preoccupied with the pursuit of material things to pay him much heed.

Another nod I can give to this tale is connected to Steve growing increasingly disenchanted with his fake identity and his deceptive way of life. “I’m a single, 45-year-old failed golf pro car salesman pretending to be someone I’m not,” he tells Kate. And as their relationship deepens, Steve suggests, “I want you to come join me in the real world.” The movie’s conclusion turns on whether Kate will have the courage to leave her posh—but fantastically false—way of life behind in exchange for something less opulent but more genuine.

And even though the Joneses aren’t a real family, something like a family connection forms between them. Jenn and Mick struggle with the burden of living under false pretenses. Steve and Kate end up playing parental roles as they try to guide their “children” through emotional rough spots.

The sometimes fatal futility of trying to keep up with the Joneses is poignantly underscored when one character commits suicide because of debt and his inability to live up to “expectations.” That prompts Steve to confess his real identity and job to neighbors who’ve gathered.

Sexual Content

Our first clue that something is different about the Joneses comes when Kate and Steve head to separate bedrooms, even though he wants to share a bed with her. That’s clearly communicated when Steve stares at Kate’s bare legs (she’s wearing a bathrobe) after she’s showered. Kate repeatedly tries to convince Steve that their relationship is purely business. Steve, however, pursues his “wife.” Their pretend kisses get more passionate, and Steve grabs her backside in front of guests during one lengthy smooch. Eventually, they consummate their relationship (offscreen), and we see them in bed together afterwards. (Their bare shoulders are visible.)

Before we learn that the Joneses aren’t a real family, Jenn tries to seduce Steve. So it appears as though it’s his daughter who removes her clothes in his dark room and begins to get in bed with him. Kate breaks up the proceedings by turning on the lights. Several camera shots then show Jenn’s bare breasts as she argues with her “mom” about her behavior. “If you’re not going to do him, why can’t I?” Jenn yells. It’s clear that this isn’t the first time she’s tried to sleep with Steve, and it’s implied that other such trysts might have been more successful.

Kate says of Jenn’s promiscuity, “She’s got a problem,” an observation that’s validated when Jenn later has an affair with an older, married man. (We see her in bed waiting for him and hear sexual sounds coming from his boat.) The man’s wife eventually confronts Jenn and informs her that her husband has had many such affairs, and that this one is now over.

For his part, Mick tries to kiss a boy at his high school. Later, Mick confesses to his “family” that he’s gay. And taking a nasty verbal shot at Jenn, he says, “I’m gay. But at least I’m not a slut.” When the Joneses move to a new neighborhood, Mick assumes the role of a college student who’s openly gay.

Many female characters wear cleavage-revealing outfits. A scene in a high school locker room shows girls in bras and panties. After Kate talks suggestively about her toilet’s bidet-like features, a female guest creeps off to the bathroom to see if Kate has told the truth. Steve turns Kate’s discussion of how their unit is doing, sales-wise, into a dirty double entendre.

Larry repeatedly tries to initiate sex with his wife, but she always declines. Steve tells Larry that he can’t go golfing because of a muscle he pulled during “tantric sex.”

Violent Content

A woman leaves a party drunk, drives erratically and ends up having an accident. (We later see her with some bumps, bruises and a broken arm.) Mick and his friend go for a reckless ride through town. Mick’s spontaneous attempt to kiss his friend is met with a fist, as the guy pummels Mick’s face four or five times while yelling homosexual slurs at him.

Unable to keep up with the Joneses, Larry uses a garden hose to tie himself to his lawn mower before driving it into his swimming pool. We don’t see him plunge into the pool, but we do see him tethered lifelessly to the machine, wearing only his underwear. Steve pulls his body from the water.

Crude or Profane Language

About 10 f-words and half-a-dozen s-words. God’s name is taken in vain six or eight times (including one pairing with “d‑‑n”), and Jesus’ name is misused once. We also hear “h‑‑‑,” “a‑‑” and “b‑‑tard.” Sexually themed putdowns include “faggot.” We see one obscene hand gesture.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Guests at parties consume several different brands of alcohol. A certain vodka is mentioned by name, as is an upscale beer. The Joneses are chosen to receive a shipment of a new rum punch that’s packaged just like children’s juice boxes. Mick makes it available at a high school party in which many underage people get drunk. Elsewhere at that party, kids drink from a beer bong.

Mick and a high school girl toke marijuana together. Steve and some of his golf buddies smoke Cuban cigars. Jenn makes a passing comment about diet pills.

Other Negative Elements

Kate is determined to reach “Icon Status” in the company, a position denoted by massive sales. That goal causes her to rationalize the inherently deceptive nature of her career. She tells Steve that they’re making a connection “between products and the people who want them.” Steve and Kate lie to a police officer who’s investigating where the rum punch came from at the high school party.

I can remember a time when football stadiums had such names as Mile High instead of Invesco. I can remember a time when I got more e-mail from friends and acquaintances than I did from spammers. I can remember a time before public schools felt the need to sell ads on their buses. In short, I remember a time before marketers made a point of seizing every delivery vehicle possible to somehow catch my attention.

That world has passed away. In its place, we now have a new world in which companies of all stripes seek ever-more sophisticated and invasive ways to get consumers’ attention, to stand out from the crowd. So The Joneses imagines an outlandish—but eerily plausible—scenario in which product placement moves off of billboards, out of TV shows and junk mail, and into the house next door. While it intentionally and ironically allows itself to be a platform for product placements, it realistically depicts the outcomes of coming down with so-called affluenza : disappointment, discontentedness, disconnection and—in extreme cases—death. When it comes to finding lasting satisfaction in having the newest, shiniest stuff, then, The Joneses illustrates the futility of keeping up .

It’s a provocative film, in the best sense of that word.

But it’s also provocative in the worst sense, because first-time director Derrick Borte’s stocks his story with sexual shenanigans, “incest,” a topless young woman, teenagers getting drunk and smoking pot, and more than a few harsh profanities. So as morality tales go, this one’s potential effectiveness is undermined by the immorality it showcases along the way.

One more old saying seems appropriate here since The Joneses goes a long way toward proving it: “Too much is never enough.” Too bad the director followed that logic too far.

Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.

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The Joneses

• A seemingly perfect family moves into a suburban neighborhood, but when it comes to the truth as to why they're living there, they don't exactly come clean with their neighbors.
• "The Joneses", a social commentary on our consumerist society. Perfect couple Steve and Kate Jones, and their gorgeous teen-aged children Jenn and Mick, are the envy of their posh, suburban neighborhood filled with McMansions and all the trappings of the upper middle class. Kate is the ultimate trend setter - beautiful, sexy, dressed head-to-toe in designer labels. Steve is the admired successful businessman who has it all: a gorgeous wife, big house and an endless supply of high-tech toys. Jenn and Mick rule their new school as they embody all that is hip and trendy - cool clothes, fast cars and the latest gadgets. But as the neighbors try to keep up with the Joneses, none are prepared for the truth about this all- too perfect family. — Publicist
• The well-off Joneses - husband and wife Steve and Kate, and their two high school student offspring Mick and Jenn - have just moved into a McMansion in an upscale neighborhood, they, among the "beautiful" people, outwardly affable and thus easy to make friends, who like to display and share their status-symbol toys with those they meet. The reason for this situation is that it is their job in not really being a family - none whose real surname is Jones - but the latest comprised unit of a stealth marketing company, their performance measured by how many units of their clients' merchandise they are able to sell to their targets i.e. their neighbors and others within their newly developed social circle, and the percentage increase in month to month sales, each situation for a year or two before moving on to working within the next unit of "Joneses" in another neighborhood. This unit is Kate's first as lead, she, a veteran in the industry, who is all business in striving for moving into the highest status level of the company in dealing with the highest end products. While their overall initial performance is good to excellent, cracks are slowly starting to form in the unit, Kate who has to deal with them as she is effectively the boss. Mick is getting tired of the make believe in hiding something inherent about his being. Jenn has a growing penchant for more mature men, this neighborhood ripe with them, including one in her own household. And for Steve, this his first job in the industry as a failed golf pro turned car salesman - hence he tasked largely with pushing cars and golf equipment - he took this job largely in moving into middle age and secretly wanting a real family, he potentially seeing Kate not only as a make believe wife. Their situation in this neighborhood reaches another level of complexity in dealing with their next door neighbors, the Symonds, Summer Symonds who is all about those status symbols as she too tries to push her beauty products to the neighborhood wives, and her husband Larry Symonds who does whatever he can to make Summer happy in a less than ideal home life. — Huggo

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The Joneses Review

23 Apr 2010

Joneses, The

A case study in how a killer idea and on-form cast can come together to not quite work, this long-delayed effort centres on a picture-perfect ‘family’ whose entire lives are a form of guerrilla marketing. By their attractive, high-gloss, perfectly dressed examples they become style leaders in their small town, sending sales of everything they touch skyrocketing — until their own relationships, and the relentless pressure of seeming perfection, sends them faltering.

Both Demi Moore and David Duchovny remind us why they used to be huge, but while the attacks on consumer culture are largely effective, by portraying the ‘family’s’ employers in a cuddly rather than rapacious light the drama is drained of tension and the satire deprived of teeth.

Movie Review: The Joneses

This take on "stealth marketing" is original - but doesn't quite convince

The Joneses

Cert: 15, 96 mins

Starring: Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard, Gary Cole, Ben Hollingsworth

The Joneses sounds like a great film, until you have to watch it. That’s when it becomes a distinctly average one. David Duchovny is married to Demi Moore , and together they are The Joneses , who’ve recently moved to a new neighbourhood with their oh-so-perfect kids ( Ben Hollingsworth and Amber Heard ).

Only, they’re not The Joneses at all – they’re a family unit of “stealth marketers”, employed to stroll around town wearing the latest clothes, using the latest gadgets, drinking the latest drinks, and therefore getting all their new friends to do the same. As the tagline could have said: Stealth marketing, scary huh?

And it would be, if any of it made sense. Certainly, there’s a good 20 minutes when this seems an incredibly clever idea for a film – you get to explore the nature of marketing, the inherent dishonesty of advertising in human form, the way that we all, in some ways, become what we do for a living – but pretty soon you realise that, barring the odd scene thrown in the direction of these ideas, this is essentially the cartoon version of what a good film could have been.

Example: Duchovny and Moore invite their neighbours in for a drink, and give one of them (played by Gary Cole ) a beer. It’s a Stella , a product The Joneses are marketing. “You’re right!” exclaims Cole as if he’s discovered how to turn metal to gold, “that’s a really good beer!”. It’s a Stella . A Stella! Have you not had a beer of any kind before, Gary ? Or any variety of chilled beverage? Because, really, that’s the only explanation for his reaction. And so it goes with every product they flog – from mobile phones to golf clubs to cars to skate boards to – in one inexplicable instance – a particular combo of scarf and lipstick. “What?” you feel like screaming. “You people never knew these things existed before? It’s just a scarf and lipstick, so what if Amber Heard is wearing it?”

I kid you not, most of this is done in montage, and at the end, virtually every girl in the high-school is wearing this same scarf and lipstick due to Amber’s “stealth marketing” campaign (ie wearing it and looking hot). I’m sorry, that’s not stealth marketing, that’s mass hysteria, and trust me, if the advertising companies could bottle that, they would.

And so, the rest of the film – with, predictably, some of the people biting off more than they can chew in buying these products – loses any foothold it had on reality.

It’s all the more frustrating because, just beneath the surface, there’s a very good film here just waiting to get out. You can see it in the moments of mournful regret of Duchovny’s character, a washed-up golf pro who doesn’t know what he’s doing with his life. Or the “son”, and how he’s playing a role in more ways than one. Sadly, the script needed a few more drafts and a more delicate directorial hand to dig them out. As far as products go, The Joneses is just shy of the real deal.

Stuart McGurk

5 out of 10

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The Joneses Review

A smart, witty and biting black comedy that sends an interesting message about marketing, consumerism and what it means to try and keep-up-with-the-Joneses in today's busy day and age.

Imagine an advertising firm wanted to pay you to use a particular kind of phone and all you have to do is tell your friends about how great it is, does that sound ethical to you? What if you were paid to move into a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife, cute kids and all the cool stuff you could imagine and all you have to do is tell people that, that is your life and encourage them to want what you had, would that be ethical? Would you consider that lying? Those are exactly the questions posed by the new fascinating and extremely entertaining black comedy, " The Joneses ." David Duchovny and Demi Moore star in the film, in two terrific performances, as the married couple who are actually strangers pretending to have the perfect life together. Equally excellent in the film is the great Gary Cole, who seems to steal every scene in every movie he's in, and veteran actress Glenne Headly as the envious next door neighbors desperate to have the life that they see advertised next door.

The film, in tone, reminds me of Duchovney's other great black comedy, '2006s "The TV Set" and the actor is just as good, if not better here. Of course, Duchovney is best known for playing Agent Fox Mulder on "The X-Files" TV series and in the films, as well as his current hit show "Californication," but the actor does have a reputation for picking unusual yet intriguing film projects and quite often gives a bold and daring performance. That is no different in this movie as the actor has an opportunity to show all of his wide range of emotions in the film. Demi Moore was for some time one of the most popular actresses in the world. She's since semi-retired to raise her daughters but now that most of them are grown, in fact Rumor is an accomplished actress in her own right now, she is back in front of the camera and if her performance here is any example of the work she is capable of doing then the actress still has some of the best work of her career left ahead for audiences to enjoy. Her performance her is both sophisticated and vulnerable, while she is completely believable in every scene she's in. Moore's icy cool demeanor is perfect for the role.

The film begins by introducing us to the Joneses, a new family moving into an upper-class suburban neighborhood. Steve (Duchovny) and Kate (Moore) seem to have the perfect lives. They have two beautiful children, Jenn (Amber Heard) and Mick (Ben Hollingsworth), they live in a gorgeous house, they have great cars and all the latest cool stuff. They are instantly liked and envied by everyone in the neighbor hood by the Joneses are harboring dark secret ... it's not real! You see Steve, Kate, Jenn and Mick are not a real family. They don't even really known each other. They are essentially actors, paid by a marketing firm to display the perfect life and make all their friends and neighbors want the same state-of-the-art stuff that they have. Steve is new at this but catching on quick while Kate is an old pro who hopes to earn a corporate position soon. The Joneses are a hit in the neighborhood right away, however their perfect lives could begin to unravel.

Jenn is a sex addict and begins to seduce several married men in the neighborhood while Mick quickly finds a popular girlfriend, but he has a secret as well ... he's gay. Things get more complicated as Steve begins to have feelings for Kate. As the team continues to sell with great success the Joneses befriend the next-door neighbors, Larry and Summer, brilliantly played by Gary Cole and Glenne Headly, respectively. Larry and Summer try desperately to "keep up" with the Joneses but that just begins to create financial problems for the couple. As the Joneses lies become bigger and bigger, their perfect life becomes threatened by local tragedy and Steve, a former golf-pro and used car salesman comes face to face with morals and ethics that he didn't even know he had. In the end, while it may be a fake family, it's the only family he has and he will stop at nothing to keep them together as he realizes that he truly loves Kate. Now Kate must choose between the posh life that she thought she wanted and the real love that she has found with Steve.

Also giving a fine performance in the film is Lauren Hutton, who plays the wise yet cold corporate handler for the family. Both Heard and Hollingsworth are adequate in their performances as well. But it is the work of Duchovny, Moore, Cole and Headly that is really excellent here. All four actors display a depth and understanding for the material that comes out in every moment of their performances. While Duchovny and Moore definitely center the movie and carry most of the weight on their own, it's Cole's breakout performance as the decent yet tragic neighbor that will have people talking. Cole has been giving great performances for years and while he is still best known for his role in the cult classic "Office Space," hopefully this movie will go along way to showing the true range of the actor. First time writer/director Derrick Borte certainly did not pull any punches with his first feature, as it is a powerful, thought provoking and darkly funny film. In the end, The Joneses will make you think about the importance that we put on consumer products in this country and how it affects our lives while making you laugh and entertaining you at the same time with the film's brilliant performances.

Joneses, The (United States, 2009)

We all know the phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses," and so does first time writer/director Darrick Borte, who has used that as the basis for his debut, called (appropriately enough) The Joneses . The subject matter is simple enough: Borte has elected to highlight modern society's materialistic and status obsessions while at the same time postulating how out-of-control marketing campaigns have become. In a sense, consumers have become like children - see something, want something. Credit card debt is out of control because people can't restrain their buying impulses. However, despite a brilliantly cynical premise and a delicious start, the film eventually wilts like a lily left out in the noonday heat. Like too many satires that start out with santoku-sharp edges, the blade dulls because the filmmakers don't hone it as the third act approaches. A desire to be likeable and perhaps appealing to mainstream audiences causes The Joneses to fade before eventually imploding. The biggest gaffe: a late-inning sermon delivered by David Duchovny. The problem has less to do with his preaching ability than with the recognition that the message would be better left unsaid. Is Borte so uncertain of his skill that he has to spell out everything letter-by-letter? Whatever happened to subtlety?

At first glance, the Joneses appear to be a perfect family: father Steve (David Duchovny), mother Kate (Demi Moore), son Mick (Ben Hollingsworth), and daughter Jenn (Amber Heard). But since this is a movie, there's no such thing as a "perfect family" and, despite the beautiful house, the expensive furniture, and the luxury cars, there are issues in this paradise, as becomes apparent when Jenn tries to slip into Dad's bed one night. It turns out these four are actually employees of a corporation called LifeImage and have been seeded into this neighborhood to show off the good life to their neighbors and get them to buy the products LifeImage represents. The couple next door, Larry (Gary Cole) and Summer (Glenne Headly), fall for it hook, line, and sinker - but there's an issue. Larry doesn't make enough money to finance all the purchases and he soon finds himself drowning in debt - not exactly a unique situation in modern-day American society.

I'm a little uneasy about the film's message regarding corporate amorality and greed. It's not that I don't think corporations sometimes cross lines in their marketing campaigns, but personal responsibility has to come into it, and that's not something the film addresses. Blaming escalating personal debt on corporate practices is offering a scapegoat for a lack of fiscal restraint. According to The Joneses , when people get in over their heads in debt, it's because of a company's selling practices, not because of a lack of self-control on the part of consumers who should be watching their bottom line. These aren't high school students caving in to peer pressure. Yes, the issue of "keeping up with the Joneses" is a problem in modern day America, but to put all the blame on the people marketing and selling the products is to overlook a major part of the issue.

That being said, the manner in which the film begins and the way it gradually reveals the truth about its protagonists is smart and savvy, and the satire of marketing is on-target more often than not. What's being postulated by this film isn't far from reality. Is it that much different to use product placement in movies and television shows than it is to use a real-life variation of the same thing? (In what I assume is an example of in-your-face irony, Borte uses a fair share of such placements in this movie, the most obvious of which is for a car I won't name here.)

Solid performances from David Duchovny (in a cleaned-up version of his Californication character), Demi Moore (defying age), Ben Hollingsworth, and Amber Heard can't save the movie when the screenplay goes as limp as a noodle and turns into a long string of clichés. It's sad, really, because the movie begins with so much promise. It has its share of amusing moments but, in the end, The Joneses feels like a satire that never blossoms because of a fear of becoming too dark. It's a missed opportunity that will have The Joneses struggling to keep up with its mid-April multiplex competition.

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The Joneses Movie Review 

Is it worth it keeping up with the Joneses?

That’s a question the 2009 Comedy “The Joneses” constantly asks the audience.

When I saw the film starring Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard, and Ben Hollingsworth for the first time in theaters over a decade ago, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Even now, it stuck with me.

It’s a poignant take on consumerism and that drive to fit in by having all of the right stuff. But, of course, what’s impressive about this movie is that it came out before the wide adoption of social media sites like Instagram, where having the right stuff is essential. 

The movie calls their form of marketing ’self-marketing,’ which is close to the social concept of influencers but way more secretive. The writers got the influence of the influencers right but couldn’t predict that influencers would be so shameless in their push of products that they would be open about it. That’s not a shot at influencers. They are modern salespeople disguised as lifestyle bloggers or ‘brands’. In fact almost everyone is an influencer in some way. I’ve even written plenty of sponsored articles in my time. No shade here. 

The Joneses: What’s the premise? 

Okay, the idea is both wild and genius. Perfect for a modern comedy. 

The movie follows the perfect white family, the Joneses, that moves into a new wealthy American suburb and quickly becomes the most popular family in town. The twist is that the family is fake. They are all actors/ marketers who get paid a lot of money to infiltrate new neighborhoods with high buying power so they can increase sales of luxury products such as Audi automobiles and jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels. The movie’s tagline is: “They’re not just living the American Dream. They’re selling it.” 

How are they able to do this? Well, the movie makes it seem pretty simple. First, an organization puts together the perfect family; a classic 4 unit of husband, wife, son, and daughter who are incredibly good-looking and charismatic. The fake family then establishes themselves in their respective domains, such as the high school, country club, or hair salon, to gain the trust of their neighbors and peers, who are completely oblivious that they’re being sold. 

They recommend products to them as any friend would do. For example, when at the golf range, Steve Jones, played by the charismatic David Duchovney, recommends his clubs to his new buddies because they added 40 yards to his drive.   

After gaining the trust, they can recommend all of the newest and coolest things in every category, from beverages to vacations, and they do a fantastic job at it. Until, of course, there are unfortunate events that cause the whole thing to unravel. You can watch the trailer here .  

Why should you care about The Joneses?

The Joneses is a well-made film. It’s a slick, quick outing (96 min) that’s well shot, written, and acted. I would say it’s hilarious in the first half, and then it gets darker in the second. 

The Joneses is one of those movies that makes you think about your spending habits and your desire to want all of the “right stuff.”. Is it believable? No, not in 2022, but companies are so quickly able to infiltrate our lives that it’s not hard to imagine this type of guerilla marketing in the near, dystopian-esque future, especially with customer acquisition costs going up so much .  

I’ve always been someone who notices brands, like what shoes a person is wearing or the logo of the car someone’s driving. Not that I’m one to make a judgment. Maybe I do judge subconsciously, but it’s just silly in some cases. Should you care if someone is wearing Nike sneakers at the gym versus Under Armor ones? But of course, Nike and Under Armor spend millions in marketing campaigns to make you think that people will. No one ever wants to wear undesirable sneakers or drive an undesirable car. Of course, the root of the desire is always a tricky one.

The Joneses: Modern Materialism

It makes one ask the question, why do we want the material things we want? Is it because someone is good at marketing to our communities or us? Will it make us feel better once I have it, or will we appreciate it less? Do Nike’s really make you run faster or jump higher?

Buying necessary things can be great, right? When your laptop breaks, it’s nice to buy the latest model because you believe it will be the best for your needs. When you search for a car, you usually want the best you can afford. Marketing and branding are ways for companies to show you which items are best suited to solve your problems or ignite your desires. We do often ask friends and family for recommendations about things to buy. In these instances, we do not assume that our friends will make money from their advice, as an influencer might, making the transaction feel more genuine. 

That’s one of the reasons the concept is so clever. In addition, the characters are so convincing and seemingly genuine that the people of the town have no clue that they are selling them a lifestyle, making the strategy that much stronger. 

Why it’s not perfect

One of the main issues with the movie is how little intelligence it gives to the other characters. Sure the Joneses family are attractive, and it makes sense that others would want to buy the same things to keep up with them, but it goes to extremes to make a point. I like that the family sometimes grapples with what they’re doing, but I wish the film covered it in more detail. Again it’s a short comedy, but I think the concept is so strong that they could have gone a bit further into the mindset of The Joneses.  

Why you should see it 

The Joneses movie makes you think about your desires in a new way. Why do I want that expensive item? Is it because my friend has it, or someone cool is wearing it? Admittedly, when I see a celebrity I admire wearing something, it does make me want one more, so I can feel more like them. Sponsored marketing works, but it’s in your face, whereas this form of marketing is deceptive, making it clever and concerning. It’s rare to see a comedy that makes you think so much about yourself and your place in the modern American consumerist culture. While the movie isn’t perfect, it’s wickedly entertaining, which in my opinion, is more important for a comedy. 

The Joneses is written and directed by Derrick Stacey Borte in a fantastic directorial debut. You can check it out on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock. 

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Keeping Up With the Joneses

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Rent Keeping Up With the Joneses on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Keeping Up with the Joneses squanders a decent premise -- and a talented cast full of funny people -- on a witless and largely laugh-free suburban spy adventure.

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Review: Proudly bizarre 'I Saw the TV Glow" will boggle your mind – and that's the point

The proudly bizarre horror movie “I Saw the TV Glow” will likely spark many a “What the heck did I just watch?” reaction – which in this case, is a good thing because there’s no right answer. 

A story of two lonely youngsters and their shared favorite TV show, transgender writer/director Jane Schoenbrun’s eerily immersive and discomforting dive into 1990s suburbia is a well-acted coming-of-age queer allegory and also an intriguing pop-culture deconstruction.

Like “Donnie Darko” or David Lynch’s entire oeuvre, “Glow” (★★★ out of four; rated R; in select theaters now, nationwide Friday) blends the real and the surreal in a neon-drenched nightmare that leaves a trail of thematic breadcrumbs for its audience. And sure, it could be way more straightforward and less artistically cryptic, but that commitment to entrancing weirdness is part of the movie's special sauce and pretty much Schoenbrun’s whole deal.

Their confident debut, the 2022 film festival find “ We’re All Going to the World’s Fair ,” was a hauntingly trippy, COVID-19-era cautionary tale centered on the virtual worlds where isolated kids wander. “I Saw the TV Glow” offers a larger, more challenging narrative with a throwback vibe.

Twelve-year-old Owen (Ian Foreman) comes along when his mom (Danielle Deadwyler) works an election night at school. In the empty cafeteria, he meets teenager Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), who’s reading a book about the TV series “The Pink Opaque.” She asks him if he’s seen it; he hasn’t but is enamored of commercials for this show, about two girls with a psychic connection who take on weekly supernatural threats. (Think “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” or “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” back in the day.)

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“Pink Opaque” comes on after Owen’s bedtime, so he sneaks out at night to watch it with Maddy. As years go by – with Justice Smith playing anxious, asthmatic Owen from 14 to adulthood – they form a close bond, using the show as a transfixing escape from their troubled households. One day Maddy disappears, leaving only her flaming TV behind, and "Pink Opaque" is abruptly canceled. Almost a decade later, Maddy shows back up as a clearly changed person, and her reappearance as well as Owen's continued obsession over this show take a toll on his mental well-being.

A nonbinary filmmaker, Schoenbrun infuses "Glow" with personal metaphor, aiming to capture the feelings of a trans person seeking and finding who they truly are: In one scene, Maddy asks Owen if he likes girls or boys and he responds, “I think I like TV shows.” At the same time, they successfully create a landscape relatable to anyone who’s felt like an outsider in their own skin or home. And it all will feel uncannily familiar for those who grew up in the film’s mid-1990s setting, from what’s on that glowing TV screen to Fruitopia drink machines in school.

There are many layers that build out the atmosphere. Schoenbrun intersperses scenes from “Pink Opaque” that feel like a fuzzy escape from the psychologically wrought main plot, with the walls weirdly breaking down between them. There are incidental musical moments – including a cameoing Phoebe Bridgers – straight out of the “Twin Peaks” Roadhouse, and inspired by the likes of "Buffy" and "The X-Files," Schoenbrun unleashes villainous creatures of the “monster of the week” TV variety, like big bad man-in-the-moon Mr. Melancholy, that toe the line between cheesy and freaky.

Alongside themes of sexuality, identity and human connection, the cultural aspect of “I Saw the TV Glow” will hit home, especially for modern audiences. Our collective fandom for TV shows and movies can bring us together but can corrupt as well when what we watch becomes our everything. The movie offers a strong take on the dangers of nostalgia, and what happens when it ventures from needed sanctuary to a repressive prison.

So you might have no idea what the heck you just watched, especially with the rather abrupt ending, but there’s plenty to chew on and think about afterward.

Review: ‘IF,’ a movie about imaginary friends, requires suspension of disbelief — and a few more drafts

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There’s an existential question at the heart of “A Quiet Place” director John Krasinski’s new kid-friendly semi-animated movie “IF.” It’s a simple one, but it speaks to the limitless potential of a child’s imagination and it gets asked again and again: “What if?”

“IF” is also an acronym in the film for “imaginary friend,” and the movie spurs the audience to consider the impossible: What if our imaginary friends never disappear with time and memory, but remain in the world, purposeless and friendless?

It’s an interesting premise, and Krasinski has leveraged his hefty Hollywood contacts list to contribute voices to the imaginary friends. However, a cute premise and a bunch of stars are pretty much the only things going for “IF,” which is a surprisingly somber film with serious storytelling problems, because Krasinski hasn’t bothered to flesh out the fantastical world-building of his script.

It’s a bit ironic because the characters repeatedly talk about the importance of stories. In an opening narration, our heroine Bea (Cailey Fleming) describes how when she was a child, her mother would ask her for a story; later, she tells a story to her father (Krasinski) in one of the film’s climactic, cathartic moments. Krasinski insists that stories are important but never actually demonstrates why or how. And on a structural level, the storytelling of “IF” itself is a mess: a heartfelt but dramatically inert endeavor that whipsaws between tones ranging from whimsical to morose.

This may pretend to be a film about imaginary friends, but what it’s actually about is dead and dying parents. The “IFs” are the coping mechanism, and they are also the emotional tether to childlike wonder and comfort in escapism, which is something that 12-year-old Bea needs more than ever. In an opening montage, we see her happy childhood and her mother (Catharine Daddario) slipping away due to illness. When we meet Bea again in the present, her father is in the hospital with a “broken heart” (though he’s plenty spry enough to pull childish pranks and high jinks).

Bea is staying with her grandmother (Fiona Shaw) in her childhood apartment in Brooklyn Heights, strangely left to her own devices, and ends up falling in with her reticent neighbor Cal (Ryan Reynolds) and his two magical associates, a giant purple guy named Blue (voiced by Steve Carell) and a ballerina Minnie Mouse creature, Blossom (voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge).

Blue and Blossom are IFs whose kids have grown up and they’d like to find new ones to befriend. After they explain their plight, Bea takes on the matchmaking task as her new “job.” It’s never explained what will happen to the IFs if they don’t get paired up, as it seems they just go live in a retirement home underneath Coney Island. But Bea seals the deal with a musical performance of Tina Turner’s “You Better Be Good to Me,” which is a callback to her own childhood memories but also feels like an extensive inside joke.

They soon realize that they need to be tracking down the adult pals of the IFs instead of looking for new ones, and so Bea roams New York City with Cal, Blue and Blossom looking for these kids and trying to activate their sense memories so that they can see their IFs again.

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There’s a lot of potential disbelief to suspend here. A set of rules and regulations about these imaginary creatures would help. Who can see them? Why does Bea’s grandmother not wonder why she is running off to Coney Island all day? Is her dad in a mental hospital? Is any of this actually happening?

Krasinski emphasizes poignancy over coherence, with composer Michael Giacchino wildly overscoring the piece in order to convey narrative beats that simply aren’t there. The oddly paced film feels randomly strung together, spiced with a collection of one-line vocal cameos delivered by high-profile Krasinski pals (George Clooney, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Emily Blunt, Jon Stewart, Bradley Cooper, Keegan-Michael Key, Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Blake Lively, Amy Schumer, Christopher Meloni, Richard Jenkins, etc.). The film looks great, with rich, vintage production design by Jess Gonchor, and it’s beautifully shot by Steven Spielberg’s master cinematographer Janusz Kaminski . But the whole conceit is so undercooked, it could give you salmonella.

“IF” is a film from an adult’s perspective about the importance of imagination, and a reminder to stay connected with our own sense of childlike wonder. But is it a movie for kids, or for the inner child of an adult? With its nonsensical, confounding story, it might not be for anyone, even if its heart is in the right place.

'IF'

Rating: PG, for thematic elements and mild language Running time: 1 hour, 44 minutes Playing: Now in wide release

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Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga review – Anya Taylor-Joy is tremendous as chase resumes

Cannes film festival Taylor-Joy makes a fantastic action heroine, facing down a hilariously evil Chris Hemsworth in signature high-speed fights

‘M y childhood! My mother! I want them back!” With this howl of anguish, young Furiosa, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, sets the tone of vengeful rage that runs through George Miller’s immersive, spectacular prequel to his Mad Max reboot from 2015 . Once again, there are the crazily colossal and weird convoy-action sequences which fuse the notion of “chase” and “violent combat” into a series of delirious high-velocity contests between motorbikes, 18-wheelers and armed parascenders all attacking and shooting at each other while fanatically zooming in the same direction. The vehicles themselves are what makes the Mad Max movies so very strange. Many films are called “surreal”, but these strange, ritualistic gladiator-vehicle displays in the reddish-brown emptiness really do look like something by Giorgio de Chirico or Max Ernst .

Furiosa is the origin story of the glamorous, one-armed badass from the first film. Incidentally, I haven’t seen an arm loss like this since 11-year-old midshipman Blakeney got his amputated aboard ship in Master and Commander – and he made a bit more of a fuss about it than Furiosa. It is of course set in Australia’s vast post-apocalyptic wilderness where warlords in their various compounds rule over precious reserves of food, water, ammo and fuel. Furiosa, played in the first film by Charlize Theron, was notionally in the service of the hateful chieftain Immortan Joe; she was in charge of leading raiding parties against rivals and enemies, and fated herself to be a rebel.

Now her younger self is played by Taylor-Joy (and as a child by Alyla Browne) as a fierce young warrior-survivor who effectively fulfils the action role originally played by Mad Max. Furiosa (and that really is the name she starts with, not a nickname given later) was a kid who was once part of a quiet community of souls in an obscure but richly fertile oasis, a progressive, peaceable place which literally had wind turbines. She is kidnapped and winds up enslaved by Doctor Dementus, a strangely hilarious villain played by Chris Hemsworth with long hair and a dodgy prosthetic nose. Furiosa is to pass into the hands of the hideous Immortan Joe (now played by Lachy Hulme) in whose service she is to assist the driver of the rig, Praetorian Jack, played by Tom Burke. She seems to have an entirely platonic romantic connection with Jack, but the Mad Max world is interestingly sexless, and no male, however brutal, dares makes a move on Furiosa. But it is all leading up to her final showdown with the awful Dementus.

Hemsworth comes very close to pinching the whole film, but Miller keeps a lid on humour as that kind of comic flex can sometimes upend it all. Hemsworth really is very entertaining when Dementus insists on tasting Furiosa’s desolate tears because he has heard that tears of sadness have a different flavour to tears of joy. Dabbing them on his tongue, he muses: “Sorrow is more piquant – zesty!” He pronounces it: “Pee–kwant” which somehow makes it much worse. He also, in his conceit, insists on driving a phalanx of motorbikes around like a kind of chariot.

In a sense, Dementus is a character artificially contrived to give Furiosa someone to face off with, a warlord distinct from Immortan Joe. But Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth are a great pairing and Taylor-Joy is an overwhelmingly convincing action heroine. She sells this sequel.

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‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ Review: Crowded House

A reboot of the 2008 home invasion film “The Strangers” brings back masked assailants and brutal violence but leaves originality behind.

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By Erik Piepenburg

The key to a terrific scary home invasion horror movie is not just how domesticity gets breached but why. It’s great to have a determined aggressor, sympathetic victims and a brutal invasion that’s contained and sustained. But to what end?

Yet some of the best home invasion films — “Funny Games,” “Them” — don’t supply easy answers. “The Strangers,” Bryan Bertino’s terrifying 2008 thriller starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman as a couple under siege, didn’t either. It kept the invaders’ motives and their identities mysterious, amping up the devil-you-don’t-know terrors with a sense of randomness that was despairing. The premise and execution were simple. The payoff was a gut punch.

On its face, “The Strangers: Chapter 1,” the first of three new films in a “Strangers” reboot from the director Renny Harlin (“ A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master ”), checks all the same boxes. But the hapless script — written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland and based on the original — offers nothing fresh in a tiring 91 minutes, and nothing daring to justify a new “Strangers” film, let alone a new series, especially when Bertino’s formidable film is streaming on Max .

This new tale begins with Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and her boyfriend, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), taking a fifth anniversary road trip through the Pacific Northwest. When their car breaks down in a rural Oregon town, they meet a seen-it-before who’s who of horror movie yokeldom: unsmiling boys, sweaty bumpkin mechanics, a diner waitress whose eyes scream “run, if you know what’s good.”

As Maya and Ryan wait for their car to be fixed, they decide to spend the night at a secluded rental cabin. Under darkness there’s a knock at the door and, true to the home invasion formula, our leading sweethearts get terrorized until dawn inside the cabin and through the woods by a trio of assailants with big weapons and indefinite end goals. They have face coverings too, making menace out of the same blank-faced creepiness the villains embodied in the original film and its 2018 sequel.

Harlin is known for action films, including “Die Hard 2,” and those chops come in handy here, especially when he’s left hanging by a sleepy middle section of frantic chases and failed attacks that feel like padding. Cat-and-mouse games can be compelling, but here , like a “Tom and Jerry” marathon, they get repetitive, dulling the impact of the violence. Petsch and Gutierrez have sufficient enough rapport, and border on sharing a couple’s chemistry as the final stretch comes to a too-predictable conclusion.

The film’s few thrilling moments have little to do with blood and guts and more with the juxtaposition of dread and song, as when Joanna Newsom’s lilting hymn “Sprout and the Bean” and Twisted Sister’s power anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It” pop up unexpectedly to disorient the action. These and other oddball musical interludes provide too-fleeting hints of what might have been had this film sought a novel household takeover, not the same old.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 Rated R for heaps of ruthless violence and general despair. Running time: 1 hour 31 minutes. In theaters.

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