The Joneses, written by Randy Dinzler and Derrick Borte, directed by the latter

The Joneses, written by Randy Dinzler and Derrick Borte, directed by the latter

“Hell is paved with good intentions”

This is one of the things that comes to mind when seeing this motion picture that is listed solely as drama, but seems like a comedy, if rather unintentionally for the most part, given its intention to lecture or perhaps use satire with a serious face, only to obtain the impression of ridiculousness.

There is also a sentiment that this might have worked better if instead of taking a very serious tone, with the aforementioned unpredicted results, the makers had intended it to be a light comedy from the very beginning.

One of the rules of happiness, as listed in the archetypal, quintessential The How of Happiness – among other classics- by the wonderful Sonja Lyubomirsky, is:

Do not compare yourself with others!

This is where much of our chagrin rests, in looking at the neighbor and noticing, then envying the fact that he or she has a new fancy car and other material things that we covet – and that alas, we get used with when we buy, phenomenon called Hedonic Adaptation.

Indeed: “The 20th-century journalist and social satirist H.L. Mencken once quipped that a wealthy man is one who earns $100 a year more than his wife’s sister’s husband.”

Studies have showed that beyond the insight of the aforementioned luminary, when asked, people would rather make $ 70,000 per year in a group where the rest have less- say $ 60k- than have $ 120, 000 per year as part of a team where the others have $ 150 k, demonstrating the importance we place on what peers have.

This is in fact the key to this motion picture, wherein The Joneses are not named by chance they are the ones from the infamous

“Keeping up with the Joneses”

David Duchovny is Steve Jones, Demi Moore portrays Kate Jones, Amber Heard is Jenn Jones and Mick is the last member of this family that has recently moved into an apparently wealthy neighborhood.

They seem prosperous, healthy, athletic in fact, happy, well adjusted, sociable, desirable, radiant, successful, enviable and their life style is so admirable that the others want to copy it and have whatever they possess.

Hence the catch- these are not “real Joneses”, they have been trained, selected and hired to promote goods, from supercars to trainers, from video games to perfumes, although thinking about it, it would not make much sense and it is not feasible for they would not get enough from commissions to afford the mansion they inhabit- even if rented by those various companies which would just share the costs?.

The idea is not bad, for consumerism is one of the major plagues of this society we live in, with the resulting heavy pollution, climate change and without adding to the general or individual happiness, for we adapt and if we are to spend, research shows that we would better spend on experiences- and the fake Joneses have the name of a travel agency for the ideal Africa trip.

Bhutan was the last country to introduce television and advertising, as late as 1999, and they could see the damaging results in a country that is interested in measuring happiness levels more than the GDP- publicity appears as very negative, making people buy things they do not really want…

Dalai Lama has said, upon entering a supermarket: “wow, so many things I do not need”, but the characters in The Joneses do not say that, in fact they race against each other to have another new car, buy the latest technology, jewelry and thus increase the sales of the family of amateur actors.

There is trouble in this false heaven, for Steve is attracted to Kate – and they are supposed to work together, not go to bed- the teenage “daughter” is rather aroused sexually and first enters the bed of her father-in-the show, then that of a married man who abandons her, Mick is gay and has to come out, but before that has a clash with another teenager.

The next door neighbor, Larry Symonds, is under heavy pressure from his wife, Summer, and spends his way around her desires, only he does this with borrowed money that he no longer pays back, up to the point where he has outstanding debts which would lead to foreclosure.

Yet, he buys another luxury Audi, for in this rat race, keeping up with the Joneses seems to be all that matters and given the real job of these actors and professional sales representatives, it is a losing game, for Steve receives the latest Audi R8 model, which makes Larry’s car look antiquated.

This happens anyway and there is another research, made with lottery winners that experience a boost in their reported wellbeing, which lasts a few months after taking the big jackpot, only to return to the set level after this rather short period has passed.

Larry dies, unable to cope with the pressure and the looming financial disaster, which would attract the definite collapse of his marriage and life, and the effect of The Joneses, the marketing, consumerism and advertising that surround and intoxicate us all is tragic and symbolized by this departure…

And to think that this cinephile makes his income from…advertising, alas…or is it Insha’Allah!