Iffy for 16+
Teen sex, drugs, drinking pop up in satire on materialism.
What 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.
- 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?
The good stuff
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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.
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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.
What to watch for
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Violence: 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.
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Sex: 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.
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Language: Some strong language, including “bitch,” “s--t,” "ass" and "f--k.” Also, one "Goddamn."
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Consumerism: 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.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Social drinking; teens imbibe alcohol at a party and drive while loaded; teen pot-smoking and diet pill overuse.
Fan Reviews provided by
5
One of my favorite movies of all time by prismacolorpie
i loved this movie so much!!
slightly reminded me of American Beauty and its equally as good.
I fell in love with this movie in the first 5 minutes.
The acting was sublime, the writing was utterly perfect, the cinematography was flawless.
There is nothing that I would have changed in this movie.
Not really a movie for kids, but a must-see for anyone 16+
The best movie I've seen in a while.
4
Keeping up with "The Joneses" isn't hard but it's still a clever take on today's marketing by terisawyer
In a world where people feel defined by their cars, houses, clothes and even what they drink, The Joneses starring a beautiful (and very thin) Demi Moore, David Duckovney (SP?) and two unknowns as their kids shows the best and worst of marketing. The Joneses are basically plants in a suburban neighborhood where they push mostly luxury goods on their friends and neighbors and their "sales" are tracked by the parent company. It's an interesting take on how far marketing can go and a clever look at how the Jonese seemingly had everything but really had nothing because none of it was real. Lots of light funny moments like when Demi is hawking frozen foods at a fancy cocktail party, but also realistic ones like teenager drinking and driving. In our brand-driven society, this movie takes an ironic and funny look at how brands define our lives and why we need to be real about what really matters like the people in our lives. Enjoy!
5
The Joneses by Golfwave
Very cool movie. Well directed and well written. The "daughter" in the movie is HOT! This director did an amazing job. I think I need to buy an AUDI. GO SEE IT!!!
5
The Joneses, Two Thumbs Up by Champ_1111
This film was very entertaining from front to back. There was even a twist that I never saw coming. Society is all about keeping up with the Joneses and whoever has the most toys in the end wins. It's those of us that can be grounded and save for retirement that actually win in the end. I by the way, am not one of those. :)
Great film, recommend for everyone to watch. The rating was an R, the only reason was a small topless scene, other than that, I would easily bring my 6 and 13 year old children to see, not much swearing at all that I can remember, that scene should have been cut so the film at least could have been a PG-13.
Excellent movies for adults to see though, really, I'm a critic, two thumbs up for sure on this one!!!