As creepy and disgusting as Gordon-Levitt's character is he's still really likable!

Rating: 9/10 (4 October 2013)

'DON JON': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes his feature film directorial and writing debut with this romcom/drama film about a New Jersey womanizer who's addicted to porn and lets it get in the way of his relationships with women. Gordon-Levitt also stars in the film as the title character, who's nicknamed 'Don Jon' (after the legendary character Don Juan, from popular literature) due to his ability to 'score' with beautiful woman. Scarlett Johansson co-stars as a beauty he finally tries to settle down with. The film also co-stars Jualianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headley, Brie Larson and Rob Brown. The movie is a triumph for Gordon-Levitt on all fronts and one of the best romantic comedies this year.
Gordon-Levitt plays Jon Martello, a man in his thirties, who lives in Jersey and attends dinners and church weekly with his family. He goes to confession once a week and confesses his weekly sexual experiences every time, which is usually 15 to 25 times masturbating (although his record is ten times in one day) and a couple of times engaging in intercourse with a woman. He's addicted to porn and prefers it to the real thing. He also believes every guy watches and jacks-off to porn every day. This leads him to objectify every women he meets until he encounters Barbara (Johansson) at a bar one night. He believes she's a ten (he and his buddies are always rating women) and the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. He thinks he's in love with her so he pursues a relationship with her and is willing to put off sex (at her insistence), while he tries to win her over, but his porn issues become a problem.
There's so many things I liked and loved about this movie. Gordon-Levitt's performance is probably the best part of it (he totally lives and breathes his character in this movie) but his clever and thoughtful script and stylized and effective directing are almost equally as impressive. The rest of the cast is good as well but this movie is all about Gordon-Levitt and should make him a bigger star. The movie is equally funny as heartfelt and as creepy and disgusting as Gordon-Levitt's character is he's still a really likable and lovable guy. I didn't know it was possible to jack-off ten times in one day or an average of 20 times a week, weekly, for that matter (not at 32 years old). I also found it crazy that Gordon-Levitt's character actually prefers watching porn to having sex with real women. As outrageous as it all is it does seem believable in the world of the movie and as perverse as the title character is he does learn from his flaws and grow as a person (and maybe teaches the audience something in the process, even if your problems aren't nearly as extreme). A relationship that develops later in the film is truly beautiful and Johansson makes a great despicable bitch, who does seem true to life (I can think of a few people like her at least). I also really liked the commentary on catholicism and the guilt and relationships with God it brings up, that one has at church (the family stuff was also interesting and entertaining). A nearly great film and about as much as one could possible ask for from Gordon-Levitt as a debut filmmaker!
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