The Jone$es (2009/Fox Blu-ray)
Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras: C Film: C
An interesting concept,
Derrick Borte’s The Jone$es (2009)
is about the happy title family (David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard (Zombieland, Pineapple Express), Benn Hollingsworth) moving into a part of
suburbia with plenty of money and middle-to-upper-class people. They seem to have everything and seem happy,
the perfect new family and the kind other families would want to emulate,
expect from money (as part of such myth) and become quickly trusting of. However, they are up to no good and not what
they seem.
To tell
you would ruin the secret, but it is interesting enough and I am surprised just
the very idea did not give this more buzz, though there are those who might
prefer you did not know because more of what goes on here might just be going
on in real life than expected as more strangers and unidentified interests want
to pry into our lives and use us, as well as use us out until we have less than
we need.
This reflects an ugly
new side of America
the original Stepford Wives only
hinted at (no, the family are not
robots), but Borte’s screenplay (from a story by Randy T. Dinzler) does not
take total advantage of everything it could or every aspect and possibility of
the material. He also cannot make this a
distinguished new entry in feature films that want to show the dark side of
suburbia, but it is a curio some will still want to see and if patient, a few
moments here work. Glenne Headly, Gary
Cole and Lauren Hutton also star.
The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital AVC @ 20 MBPS High Definition
image is on the soft and somewhat noisy side throughout despite some nice shots
here and there, but the overall result suggests an HD shoot or poor Digital
Internegative judgment and that take some of the edge out of the narrative,
plus the rich don’t look as rich. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 5.1
mix is dialogue-based and does not offer the best soundfield, plus this mix is
likely showing the budget limits of the production. Extras include Deleted Scenes that are mixed
and trailers for other Fox releases.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
