Stars Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Gary Cole, Glenne Headly, Ben Hollingsworth, Lauren Hutton.

The opening credits of The Joneses reads like an A-Z of film production companies, so many people dipped their hands into their pockets to fund this flick.

It can be a sign that a determined independent auteur has taken admirable steps to get his potential art house classic or indie labour of love off the ground but sometimes it’s a sign that there were few people willing to invest in a project in which they have no confidence, thus forcing the filmmaker to scrabble around for the necessary cash injection.

With a cast including established stars Demi Moore and David Duchovny, you can be certain that The Joneses doesn’t fall into the first category.

The film follows a family who are seemingly so perfect that everybody loves them and wants to be them.

When they move into a new upscale neighbourhood, they bring with them all their covetable trappings of success. And, of course, mum (Demi Moore), dad (David Duchovny), son (Ben Hollingsworth) and daughter (Amber Heard) are all gorgeous and lovely to go with it.

But it’s soon revealed to us that all is not what it seems. While we are privy to some scandalous information very early on, it isn’t until tragedy strikes that the neighbours see The Joneses for what they really are.

The Joneses wants to be a savage indictment of consumerism but instead comes across as a contrived, simplistic and condescending attempt to instruct us of the perils of materialism; a wincingly clunky way of telling us that love is all-important and all-conquering.

American Beauty-lite, with a flavour of The Burbs and a smidgen of The Truman Show in its commentary on Middle American life, The Joneses thinks it is cleverly satirical but it actually feels hypocritical (coming as it does from Hollywood, an industry all about glossy veneers and selling unattainable dreams and ideals) and is the very thing it knocks.

The subject matter allows for a vast amount of product placement with everything from Belgian beers to designer dresses and flash cars on show.

The film is boring, over-long and predictable and would work more effectively as a biting episode of Desperate Housewives, with the humour to boot.

Despite its cast, The Joneses is largely humourless, although it is salvaged to some degree by sensitive and moving performances from Gary Cole and Glenne Headly as the sweet-natured neighbours whose relationship – and the way it plays out – is heartrending.

The film suffers from characters – namely ‘son’ and ‘daughter’ Mick and Jen – who aren’t developed enough. Both have complex issues that are regrettably not explored in depth, leaving us confused as to their psychology and motivations.

Never mind keeping up with The Joneses – you’re best avoiding them all together.

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