Today’s recommendation is for a movie: The Joneses.
It’s not the type of movie I would normally pick. I usually want action & adventure where the good guys always win. Or romance/drama where they (whoever THEY are) find true love. Or a good mystery, where I just can’t figure out ‘whodunnit and my brain has to go into overdrive.
Something, anything that will take me out of today’s reality and end with a ‘happily ever after’.
I mean, let’s be honest- if I wanted an unhappy ending, I could skip the movie and just turn on the news – local, national or international.
However, The Joneses is NOT any of those types of movies. It’s about them.
I mean “THEM.“
The beautiful people… Those with perfect lives, exceptional children, impeccable clothes, exquisite homes, fancy cars and the latest gadgetry.
Welcome to the posh life of The Joneses.
You want to be their friend, have their life, wear their clothes, and own their house.
Heck, you want to BE them.
But at what cost?
Do you believe that wealth equals success and happiness. Are you like many others? Lost in the illusion that if you just had more money and could buy ALL the things (everything you ever wanted), your life would be better, or daresay, perfect?
Stuff equals utopia, right?
I found The Joneses to be a movie that reflects life as we know it. At least it’s what I see when I look around me. And sometimes (sadly), it’s what I see when I look in the mirror. It’s a movie that allows us to look at our lives from the outside.
It’s not always an easy movie to watch. Not because it’s a bad movie, though. It’s hard to watch because we can see the worst of ourselves in any of the characters at any given time. Our insecurity and need for validation is blatant. Our envy is barely disguised.
There is no need to be envious, though. You can have everything they have… for a price.
After all, membership has it privileges… (for a fee).
If you want to hear a lively discussion about the movie, please check out the Anderson Brothers podcast, Not In A Creepy Way (NIACW), where they review movies, talk about everyday life, obscure topics, and occasionally have a guest. Together, in the 12/04/2021 episode, three of us (brother J, Eric and myself) review the Joneses and talk about all sorts of other stuff.
Curious? Check it out here.
Greed, envy, sloth, pride and gluttony: these are not vices anymore. No, these are marketing tools. Lust is our way of life. Envy is just a nudge towards another sale. Even in our relationships we consume each other, each of us looking for what we can get out of the other. Our appetites are often satisfied at the expense of those around us. In a dog-eat-dog world we lose part of our humanity.
