Friday, October 4, 2013

First Reaction: Don Jon (2013)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut film, Don Jon follows a New Jersey guido name Jon, who cherishes the mundane yet satisfying routine in his life that is sustained by his instant gratification of porn. Gordon-Levitt transforms himself into a testosterone-pumped meathead who just wants to hit it and quit with the 8s & 9s in the club when he sees the perfect 10 that is Barbara (Scarlett Johansson). Naturally, they get together to reveal that due to their own obscene fantasies of what sex and love should be, they are in it for the wrong reasons. There are structural inconsistencies and shallow character development but as Gordon-Levitt's first film, it is ambitious, confident, and surprisingly heart-felt even through the shots of double DD's and cum-shots. And I have never seen Johansson better than she is in this and I laud her for it! There is nothing Joseph Gordon-Levitt can't do and with Don Jon, it shows. B+