A film that muddles it's hard hitting commentary on today's culture with stereotypical rom com fluff

Rating: 5/10 (30 October 2013)

I really wished this would've turned out better. I do. The message it strives to convey is an interesting one on the way people view media, but it unfortunately gets bogged down by corny scenes and underdevelopment.
Levitt, in his directorial debut, plays Joe "Don Jon", a stereotyped version of a New Jersey boy who, after bedding various one night stands, becomes enchanted by Barbara, played, sigh, by a very weak Scarlett Johansson. What is it about her? Her range is just not there. It always seems half assed and never fully committed to any film she does. And though it's cute that she plays a stereotyped version of a Jersey girl, there's no real emotion there to make me connect with the character, and therefore the film suffers. Joe and Barbara begin a relationship, with Joe modelling his love life after the porn he watches and Barbara after the romantic movies she enjoys. Complications arise when their views collide and cause irreparable harm to their relationship.
It spurns Joe to be taught how a relationship truly works by Esther, played by Julianne Moore. The character has a backstory, but there's no real development aside from that. She's just kind of there.
But what really makes Don Jon not work is how, while depicting the exaggerated views people hold, they exaggerate the way people from New Jersey act. A lot of residents from the area were offended when they were depicted as, for males, sex addicted, body building tough guys and for females loud, gum smacking, hoop earring wearing divas. It's inaccurate and unfair towards how life really is in New Jersey.
I once again assure I liked the message it tried to convey, but it's flaws stand out and become too distracting.
Don Jon 5/10