When you write,
direct, and star in a movie that is all about masturbation, you've got balls.
Nobody will mistake that film for anything other than all yours, in every way,
so you'd better make sure it's good. In the case ofJoseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut Don Jon's Addiction, it really is.
For a film that shows
a significant (and I really do mean significant) amount of hardcore pornography
and a masturbating Joseph Gordon-Levitt, it has a surprising amount of heart.
This is a movie about self-love, both in the physical sense and in the sense of
truly loving yourself enough to let other people into your life. It's a lesson
so many people struggle with even if they aren't masturbating five to ten times
a day.
Gordon-Levitt, in his feature directorial debut, captures this growth
process with particular aplomb without ever going too far. Jon becomes a better
man by the end of the film, but he is not yet the best man. Really solid
performances from Scarlett Johanssen, Julianne Moore, and Tony Danza anchor the
film. The real star of this film, however, is editor Lauren Zuckerman.
From the very beginning, this film has a strong personality, so much of which
comes from the skillful edits. Her attention to detail and comedic timing is
impeccable.
