Don Jon
Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Screenplay: Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson, Rob Brown, Jeremy Luke, Channing Tatum, Anne Hathaway, Cuba Gooding, Jr.
“There’s only a few things I really care about in life. My body. My pad. My ride. My family. My church. My boys. My girls. My porn“.
For anyone remotely interested in film, it’s been hard not to notice or monitor the rise of Joseph Gordon-Levitt over recent times. Sure, he started off as a child actor in 1988 and appeared in such television shows as “Family Ties“, “L.A. Law” and “Quantum Leap“. He made his film debut in Robert Redford’s “A River Runs Through It” before arguably becoming a household name in the brilliant TV show “3rd Rock from the Sun“. Since then, his meteoric rise has went from strength to strength in both independent and blockbuster movies. “Don Jon” now marks another achievement in Gordon-Levitt’s career; it’s his writing and directorial debut and it’s a very strong footing to start on.
Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a New Jersey playboy – nicknamed “Don Jon” for his ability to pick-up a different girl every night. He soon meets his match in Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson) and decides to leave his old habits to the side as he tries to succeed in a meaningful relationship. However, there’s one habit that Jon can’t break and that’s his obsession and addiction to internet porn.
From the offset this film bombards us with sexual images of scantily clad women in bikinis; they’re on the beach; they’re at sports events; they’re on adverts and within minutes it’s clear that Gordon-Levitt’s intentions are to remind us of the sexual exploitation of women in our society. It’s a less than subtle device but very effective all the same. We then get to meet the man himself – “Don Jon”, staring blankly at his laptop with a box of hankies by his side and talking us through his love for internet porn. At this point, I was reminded of Michael Fassbender’s character in Steve McQueen’s “Shame” and how male’s with a high labido and sexual prowess are being scrutinised in more depth in contemporary cinema. Their bravado is not a sign of strength, but weakness, and it’s refreshing to see the layers and indiscretions of such a character more exposed. Fassbender gave the performance of the year in 2011 and deserved kudos for his bravery in that role. Although not quite as powerful or daring, Gordon-Levitt deserves kudos too; he doesn’t shy from away from depicting his character as anything less than an asshole. With a towering physique and predatory demeanour, he no longer looks like the average boy-next-door and impressively handles his most unsympathetic role yet. It’s not just his performance that stands out, though. His ability to handle his supporting cast, draws out excellent performances from everyone involved and the subtlety of his writing brings a three-dimensional edge to all the characters. His relationship with Scarlett Johansson’s Barbara, for example, only serves to reflect himself. On the surface, it would seem that they are completely different but it takes the shallowness of one to expose the other and the relationship with his father (an excellent Tony Danza) hints at where Jon may have been influenced in his views on the opposite gender. There’s a maturity to Gordon Levitt’s writing and to do it under the guise of a romantic-comedy is cleverly done. Some may categorise this film in that genre but I found it to be more of an astute character study and a welcome commentary on our increasingly distant society (his sister is always preoccupied with her phone and doesn’t interact with anyone) or the tokenism of religious beliefs where everything will be absolved with a few Hail Mary’s or Acts of Contrition. All is not lost, though, as hope comes in the form of a free spirited Julianne Moore where Gordon-Levitt seizes the opportunity to lambast the beauty myth and urges us to look further than the imposed objectification of women.
It would be hard for anyone to deny that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most consistent in the business. He’s everywhere at the moment and, thankfully, it doesn’t look like he’s about to go away anytime soon. All eyes may have been on him as he ventured into different territory here but – if you’ll pardon the pun – he manages to pull it off.
Mark Walker
Trivia: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tony Danza previously worked together in Disney’s “Angels in the Outfield” in 1994, when Levitt was only 12 years old.
MARKED MOVIES 
December 31, 2013 at 2:52 pm
I was going to recommend this one to you after “500 Days of Summer” but didn’t want to bombard you with too many recs at one time, so opted to offer up the stronger “Raising Victor Vargas”. This one was pretty good, but not nearly as good as “500DOS”. Good review. 🙂
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December 31, 2013 at 3:12 pm
I don’t mind recommendations at all Gary. The more the merrier. I actually done a triple bill of Gordon-Levitt movies but decided to just write about two of them. I also watched 50/50 but just kept drawing a blank when trying to write a review. Good film as well. Really liked Don Jon, though. I’m eager to see where JGL goes next with his directing.
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December 31, 2013 at 4:06 pm
Check this out: http://garylee828.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/head-on-a-downright-ugly-beautiful-love-story/
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December 31, 2013 at 5:16 pm
I’ll swing by on that 2moro Gary. Gettin a bit caught up in the festivities at the moment. Thanks for the linkage, though. I like that, it makes things easier 🙂
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December 31, 2013 at 4:49 pm
I see you’ve been trying to pile in some end-of-year viewing Mark! Not see this yet, but great work as always.
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December 31, 2013 at 5:19 pm
Thought I’d finish the year with a little Gordon-Levitt double bill, Mark. I’ve been very interested in his progress over the years and his directorial debut top’s off his fine work. Here’s to more over the new year!
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December 31, 2013 at 4:58 pm
Fine review Mark. His got a really short run at my local cinema so I missed it then but I definitely want to give it a go. I think JGL is a really good actor and it’s good to see he can turn his hand to other aspects too.
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December 31, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Cheers Chris. I’m a fan of JGL myself and it’s even better to see him take that directorial and writing leap. He’s good, man. I’m now very interested in what he does next.
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December 31, 2013 at 5:39 pm
This is taken from the biography: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARK “THAT’S RIGHT LADIES” WALKER, yes?
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December 31, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Have you read it? It’s a damn fine read. I was a naughty boy in my prime, ye know!! 😉
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December 31, 2013 at 10:33 pm
I actually haven’t because that’s not my kind of story. MRS IPC sure has been reading it a lot lately….
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January 1, 2014 at 12:36 pm
I’ll bet Mrs IPC can’t keep her hands off you when that’s her nighttime reading? 😉
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December 31, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Nice review. I’d probably rate it a little lower than you. I loved most of it apart from the last act. I didn’t care for the plot with Julianne Moore, it felt very awkward and forced. A quick way to wrap up Don’s story.
Glad you liked Tony Danza. I thought he was excellent too.
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January 1, 2014 at 12:30 pm
I thought Danza was great. It’d be good to see him get more again. I hope this film reminds a few people of what he can do.
I didn’t mind the Julianne Moore side to things as I thought it was quite important to depict a female character that was more than just a body or a doormat. I thought it worked fairly well.
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December 31, 2013 at 6:17 pm
Nice review Mark. It’s a very funny movie and definitely shows some real, hard-earned insight into a character that needed some. However, it’s not perfect and by that last-act, I couldn’t help but feel like JGL didn’t know what to do next, nor how to end it.
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January 1, 2014 at 12:32 pm
Cheers Dan. It would seem that your not alone on your feelings of the last act. I actually thought it flowed quite well and was quite important to the development of JGL’s character.
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December 31, 2013 at 6:38 pm
This one shows plenty of promise. JGL is his normal terrific actor, and I agree that he directs it well. I don’t think his screenplay particularly strong, though, so I graded it lower than you did.
All the same, good review!
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January 1, 2014 at 12:34 pm
Cheers James. I can understand a few gripes with the writing but it didn’t bother me all that much. I thought the strengths lay in well developed characters and in that sense the writing was spot on.
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January 1, 2014 at 2:16 pm
In the end, that is where our biggest discrepancy lies … I didn’t think the characters all that well developed. With the exception of Esther, I thought them so shallow and one dimensional as to have a hard time carrying a movie.
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January 1, 2014 at 3:04 pm
It’s interesting that we see this so differently. Most of the characters were definitely shallow but I enjoyed the subtlety of their shallowness. They were all different in one way or another.
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January 1, 2014 at 6:34 pm
Much like Trance, we have very different perceptions of the same movie. 😉
Though I don’t hate Don Jon, at all. I think it roundly average.
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January 2, 2014 at 8:54 am
It’s these differences that keep the whole blogging experience interesting. 🙂
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January 2, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Amen.
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January 2, 2014 at 4:46 pm
Hallelujah! 😉
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December 31, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Fantastic piece here Mark, thanks for giving JGL the credit I also believe he deserves! The thing isn’t perfect but its a very very strong footing indeed. Balancing all three aspects to a film is quite intimidating, but he does pull it off. . . .like a sock. A used sock.
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January 1, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Cheers Tom. He did pull it off and an old used sock still has it’s uses. You have to crack it open occasionally but still very functional 😉
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December 31, 2013 at 11:45 pm
LOL. “They give awards for porn too.” Yep, who can’t imagine a boyfriend attempting that one? Anyway, this was a great review, and I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt is ridiculously talented. He’s the hotshot of his hollywood age range and just so much fun to interact with as an audience member. He really doesn’t miss a step in his understanding and execution of a character.
You just reminded me. Missed this one…but not because I was disinterested. Life takes the opportunities away in places.
But, I plan to circle back for sure.
Thanks for the reminder.
Happy New Year!
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January 1, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Couldn’t agree more. JGL certainly is the man to compete with in his age range just now. Everything he touches of late, turns to gold. He’s on a winning streak and long may it continue. I hope you get to see this soon, it’s certainly worthy of some attention.
Thanks for dropping in and Happy New Year to you too! 🙂
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January 1, 2014 at 7:36 pm
I have a list of films to watch this weekend. Is it out yet? Placing it on that list!
You got it, always a pleasure. Thanks for the New Year wish… 😉
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January 1, 2014 at 12:32 am
Someone’s on a bit of a JGL kick. 😉 Nice review here, Mark. I thought this was a decent directorial debut for JGL, and it definitely leaves me interested to see what he’ll come up with next.
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January 1, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Yeah, I actually done a triple bill of JGL movies: the other one was 50/50 but I never wrote a review on it. For the life of me, I just couldn’t string one together.
This was great though, and I’m definitely keen to see where Gordon-Levitt goes next. Thanks man!
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January 1, 2014 at 6:41 pm
Yeah, I was actually considering suggesting 50/50 as well. Before I saw (500), it was by far the most impressed with JGL I’ve ever been in a film. That guy is quite the talent. 🙂
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January 2, 2014 at 8:55 am
He certainly is quite the talent Chris. I hear that an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman could be in the works next, so I’ll be keeping an eye on that.
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January 1, 2014 at 11:19 am
I really wish I hadn’t missed this in the theatre. Looking forward to it coming out on VOD at some stage.
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January 1, 2014 at 12:45 pm
You should definitely try and catch it at some point Abbi. It’s a great little film and Gordon-Levitt can do no wrong these days.
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January 2, 2014 at 11:05 am
Good review as always Mark. I thought it was quite strange for JGl to begin directing relatively early in his career, sounds like he’s pulled it off though.
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January 2, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Cheers Chris. Yeah, it shows the confidence he has in himself and that confidence paid off, in my opinion. I really enjoyed this.
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January 2, 2014 at 7:43 pm
Great review, Mark. I intend to see this one in the coming days. JGL is one of my favorite stars and I really want to see how he fares behind the camera.
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January 2, 2014 at 8:10 pm
Thanks again buddy! If JGL is a favourite, then you shouldn’t be disappointed with his directorial venture here. It’s a mature film and done with such a playful style that it’s very hard to resist. He seemed to learn from his 500DoS work.
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January 2, 2014 at 8:49 pm
Can’t wait to see it. Will definitely let you know how I feel once I do.
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January 2, 2014 at 9:20 pm
I look forward to your take on it, man. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
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January 3, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Nice review. 🙂 You liked it a little more than me but it’s a very good start for JGL. Shame is certainly better, though. As is Fassbender. But Don Jon was still enjoyable. I look forward to JGL making more films. 🙂
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January 3, 2014 at 9:53 pm
Shame is actually one of my favourite films and this didn’t really compete with it, but I admire JGL tackling a similar subject matter with a lighter tone. I was very impressed and it does bode well for the future. Thanks! 🙂
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January 3, 2014 at 9:44 pm
I am really becoming a fan of JGL. I really enjoyed the movie and thought the end is what made the movie so great. While I thought Julianne Moore and JGL’s characters could have connected better and had better chemistry, I thought the end at a meaning behind it. Overall I loved it.
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January 3, 2014 at 9:58 pm
Agreed Brooke! Moore and JGL could have done with a little more chemistry but I still bought into it and quite liked the ending too. A lot of people seemed to think it was cop-out and that he didn’t know how to end it but I thought it quite fitting for him developing as a character and overcoming his faults.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting. It’s always good to hear a new voice. 🙂
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January 4, 2014 at 9:55 pm
I agree, Gordon-Levitt did pull this one off. A confident and spirited debut film – really glad you dug it! And yes, Danza was indeed excellent. What a hoot.
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January 5, 2014 at 8:12 pm
Yeah, I really went with this one Alex. Gordon-Levitt done a great job all round. I was thoroughly impressed and it was fantastic to see Danza deliver the goods too. I hope he gets more work now.
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January 5, 2014 at 7:38 pm
Great review! The movie didn’t completely work for me but I did love the performances, especially Johannson and Danza. I’m interested in seeing what Levitt directs next.
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January 5, 2014 at 8:14 pm
Thanks Sati. I’m not normally a fan of Johansson but she was absolutely superb here. Perfectly played. As was Danza, I really enjoyed him. The future is bright for JGL.
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January 6, 2014 at 5:48 am
Glad to see that you gave this gem of a film a high score. I’m not one for films dealing primary with romance, but Gordon managed to write and be the director of a winner here with exciting characters and fun scenarios.
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January 6, 2014 at 1:08 pm
Couldn’t agree more, man. I can normally leave out romance films as well but this had enough bite to be something different. Great film.
Thanks for stopping in, my man! 🙂
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January 6, 2014 at 6:55 pm
My pleasure. Keep up the good work!
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January 7, 2014 at 10:32 pm
Oh now I feel ashamed that I haven’t written about this yet. Like you I liked it a lot. I thoght it was a very strong debut movie and I was so disappointed when the Swedish public radio film show dismissed it when it was screened in Cannes, much I think because of his background as a child actor. It was as if they couldn’t think of him outside of that box.
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January 8, 2014 at 12:50 am
I really liked this and Gordon-Levitt’s approach to how women are so often viewed in society. The fact that he was a child actor and is now delivering his own work on such a subject matter reinforces how far he’s came over the years. It’s a great debut. I hope you get around to writing about it. I love to read it.
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January 9, 2014 at 6:36 am
It was an interesting film, but thought it repeated its point a bit too much. Still a pretty good directorial debut.
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March 11, 2014 at 1:30 pm
[…] Don Jon […]
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