Joseph Gordon-Levitt has always been a man of mystery. A unique personality and a knack for picking creative projects, the talented actor has made a name for himself through unconventional roles. It comes as no surprise that Don Jon, Levitt's directorial debut, pushes the envelope by cleverly mixing aspects of sex and porn with the rigors of growing up.
Don Jon centers around Jon Martello, a New Jersey guido who has gained a reputation of snatching a "10" every weekend. But even the most beautiful of flings don't live up to the excitement that he gets sitting in front of his computer watching pornography. Underwhelmed with his sex life, Jon sets out for answers, ultimately learning a great deal of lessons from two very different relationships with two very different women.
Using sex and porn to symbolize a broader message, Levitt successfully attacks a common persona by crafting comedy around everyday situations. Don Jon excels thanks to a wealth of great performances but mostly from a well written story that digs deep into its characters. The film never appears preachy and alludes to several personality traits that help to establish its main message, which is far more than a man addicted to porn.
Scarlett Johansson stars opposite of Gordon-Levitt, serving as Jon's main love interest and his initial entry into the exclusive dating world. The two actors share an unusually strong bond as their courtship is both believable and entertaining to the viewer. Throw in a stellar supporting cast, including Gordon-Levitt's Angels in the Outfield co-star Tony Danza and Academy Award nominee Julianne Moore, and the film proves to be truly complete.
I won't say that Don Jon isn't perfect. The story drags during two scenes, and Johansson's Barbara grows quite exhausting. But both of these are trivial aspects and can easily be overlooked by all the great things that the story provides. Rarely do you get a smart, witty, sarcastic, and all together complete experience from any film"”more so one centered around porn"”that you really have to sit back and appreciate just how clever and enthralling Don Jon is. There is really no other way to put it.
