Don Jon, Joseph Gordon- Levitt’s directorial debut, is a strong, bold take on how our generation forms relationships and how unrealistic our expectations of those relationships can be.
Don Jon cares about very little besides porn and the flashes of open-mouthed women and bouncing breasts during the opening credits of the film make this clear.
We follow Jon, played by Gordon-Levitt himself, a chauvinistic, Jersey Shore-esque “bro,” who likes to work out, go to the club, go to church, and masturbate excessively. During a typical night out at the club, he meets who he believes is the woman of his dreams, Barbara, played by Scarlett Johannson.
As their relationship progresses, it becomes clear that Jon and Barbara aren’t on the same page in terms of expectations, which we see during a scene in which Barbara tells Jon how she desperately wants him to meet her parents.
and take classes at night school as he dry-humps her outside of her apartment. He wants sex as good as the pornography he is addicted to, and she wants a happy ending like the ones shown in the films she obsessively watches.
Everything in Jon’s life is an objectified version of what it’s supposed to be, and Gordon- Levitt shows us this is a bold way. When his portrayals verge on the stereotypical, we’re reminded that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. His girlfriend is almost too hot, but also incredibly vapid and demanding. His family looks like an Italian-American blue-collar family taken straight out of one of too many reality TV shows. His church is where he confesses his numerous sins and instantly redeems himself by reciting 10 Hail Marys and 10 Lord’s Prayers. It is only when he gets to know Ester, played by Julianne Moore, a quirky middle-aged woman in his night class, that he begins to reflect on his empty affair with pornography and how it affects his relationships with women.
Gordon-Levitt is able to walk the line between satire and stereotype, while creating a tight narrative that wraps up in a satisfying conclusion.
The social commentary is relevant and honest, but doesn’t overwhelm the script. Levitt knew exactly how deep to go with this film, and he hit his mark perfectly. If he remains this tempered and disciplined, he could be a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. Considering all the attention Don Jon has been getting, we will all certainly be watching.
Marileina Pearson
Photo Editor
