Gordon-Levitt Donned the Jon!

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2015)

Don Jon (2013): Dir: Joseph Gordon-Levitt / Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Brie Larson: Observant comedy about porn addiction and relationships. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars and directs this superb first time effort. He lifts weights; joins friends at the clubs where he picks up a female every night; he joins family at dinner with frustrated conversations in front of the sports channel; he attends confession where he admits his porn addiction. Scarlett Johansson plays his latest fixation but his dream girl is obsessed with romantic comedies, attempts to alter his comfortable lifestyle, and she flips out when she discovers his porn on his laptop. Julianne Moore steals scenes as an older woman attending a night class that Johansson pressured Gordon-Levitt to take. She sees through his relationship issues and provides insight much to his dismay. Tony Danza delivers perhaps his greatest performance as Gordon-Levitt's sports loving father. Brie Larson as Gordon-Levitt's sister plays off a female version of Silent Bob where her sound dialogue only arrives at the right moment. Gordon-Levitt deserves credit for his directional debut but also for his insight. While ending is satisfactory it is also debatable. What really works is its exploration of both sides. While Gordon-Levitt must come to terms with his lifestyle, Johansson fails to admit her delusions and expectations confusing romantic comedies to reality. Many males may relate to this amusing vision into the mouse tag that opens windows into the Internet that entraps many innocent minds. Score: 9 / 10