Would Have Worked Better As A 30-minute Film

Rating: 3/10 (19 February 2014)

Don Jon is not a terrible film, it's just not a particularly good one. Similar to an SNL sketch that goes on too long, the story and the characters are far too thin and uninteresting to warrant a 90-minute treatment.
Joseph Gordon Levitt (who wrote and directed) does a fine acting job and gives a solid impersonation of a shallow, ignorant, aggressive, sex-obsessed, porn-addicted 20-something Jersey boy. But he is sorely miscast. Anyone having spent any time with real-life Jersey boys of this type (or even watched them on TV), will have a very hard time accepting the cuddly and slight JGL in this role.
Straining credibility even further, we're forced to accept that JGL's slick character can pull any gorgeous girl from the local dance club, in minutes, and bring her home for sex (this apparently happens every weekend.) But real sex is not nearly as fulfilling to him as watching porn. He can't "lose himself." The premise of the film (and where it will go) is recognized about 15 minutes into the story, but there is nothing deep or interesting enough about any of the characters or plot to merit us wanting to invest in the journey any further.
Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore also give great performances, but again, they can't overcome the script's lack of depth.
In terms of tone and style, it's a bit like watching a well-done, if very unfocused, student film. It's not quite funny enough to work as a pure comedy, and not nearly weighty enough to work as a drama. Visually, it's not particularly attractive or consistent. Unmotivated camera movements occur during the few scenes that actually warrant it being still, giving us no help in connecting to the characters in those moments.
I respect JGL greatly for getting this film done, an it will be interesting to see how he develops, but for now, he is clearly a much more talented actor than a writer or director.
My advice. If you want to see a great film about a young, ignorant Italian-American's journey to evolve into a more substantive human being, put Saturday Night Fever in your queue. Not only is a great film, based on a superb script, shot during one of the best eras of American filmmaking, but you'll get to see some amazing dance sequences.