4. The Joneses
Much like all the films on this list, The Joneses is brilliant in principle. Taking its inspiration from the phrase keeping up with the Joneses, the film takes the essence of that epithet the sense of jealousy and need to outdo your neighbour and runs with it, setting up all the ingredients for a scorching social satire. The film follows the Joneses, a group of people who look and act like an upper-middle-class family but are in fact a sleeper cell of four individuals employed to subtly sell products within their affluent neighbourhood. The husband sells golf clubs and gardening equipment by peacocking about with them in public, the wife showcases beauty products to the trophy wives of the neighbourhood and the kids show off new drinks and music. All in all, a great idea which focuses on American consumerism and the human need to constantly one-up each other. But then, the film takes its home-run premise sets up and goes all rom-com on it. Im sure a budding romance between David Duchovny and Demi Moore is all very interesting, but it shouldnt take centre stage in a film like this. That honour belongs with the Jones tragic neighbours, a couple so enthralled by their illustrious company that they plough right into debt attempting to emulate them. Unfortunately, they get sidelined and the film suffers as a result.