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Plot Summary
A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.
Credits
Director
Screenwriter
Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews
TOMATOMETER
81%- Reviews Counted: 179
- Fresh: 145
- Rotten: 34
- Average Rating: 6.8/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Fresh: [A] deceptively sincere movie about masculinity and its discontents that Mr. Gordon-Levitt, making a fine feature directing debut, shapes into a story about a young man's moral education.
Fresh: At least 80% of it is snappy, droll fluff, while the other 20% is what you get when you persuade Julianne Moore to be in your movie: in a word, better.
Fresh: Who would have thought one of the most amusing and oddly insightful romantic comedies would be built around the power and the potent pull of porn?
Rotten: Wondering what exactly is revealed as a cure to Don Jon's addiction? Why, good sex, of course! Thanks, geniuses!
Customer Reviews
A WITTY AND WELL-ACTED DIRECTORIAL DEBUT FROM GORDON-LEVITT
Joseph Gordon-Levitt catches all of us off guard with his remarkably assured writing-directing debut, "Don Jon," a raunchily original comedy-drama that gives him a chance to truly go against type as an actor. It's a strangely warm and raucous film that slowly wins us over as it reveals the soft side of a dedicated "hard-man." In New Jersey, Don Martello (Gordon-Levitt) has a list of things he really cares about: his body, pad, ride, family, church, friends, and girls. But he loves watching vulgar videos on the Internet more than anything. Hanging out with his pals Bobby and Danny (Rob Brown and Jeremy Luke), he spots Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson), a gorgeous woman who he calls a "perfect dime." And he decides to play the long game with her, falling in love in the process. The only huge problem is that she has zero tolerance for Internet sex, and the only people he can confide in about his severe addiction are his parish priest and a fellow student (Julianne Moore) at night class. Jon is such a charming loser that it's hard not to get immediately drawn to him. His endless macho posturing (his buddies call him The Don because of his womanizing prowess) makes him as laughably cartoonish as a "Jersey Shore" character. And yet, there are small details that eat away at his gym-honed image (such as his love of house-cleaning). And when we meet his parents (terrifically played by Tony Danza and Glenne Headly), as well as his dead-faced, text-addicted sister (Brie Larson), we easily begin to understand why he's like this. Gordon-Levitt is perfect for this role, an immature boy in a muscle-man's body. He also directs the film with a flashy style that's in keeping with Jon's perspective, flickering through the routine of his life while constantly flashing a series of distractingly suggestive images. And the fun script is amusing as well, with naturalistic dialogue that's packed with in-your-face comments, wry observations, and rude insults. All of the actors just shine in their roles, milking edgy humor from each moment of interaction. And there's a soft-hearted center that further wins us over. That said, when this script does confront Jon about his addiction, it starts to feel a little too simplistic. Giving him a heavy dose of self-discovery kind of undermines the film's darkly humorous set-up, as his personal journey takes him into those important life lessons we've seen before, although it does bring out more of the character's human side. But even if it does get a bit preachy at times, the movie is packed to the brim with terrific, memorable scenes and charmingly offbeat performances, particularly from Johansson as the vivacious love interest to Jon with standards of her own and Moore as his eccentric classmate who might just help kick this man's habit for good. And as Jon is challenged to confront who he thinks he really needs to be, this flick raises a few pretty surprising ideas that get our minds spinning, such as the price of sexual objectification and what it means to be truly happy. Sure, there are some narrative bumps along the way as the movie tries to find its footing, but the end result is still a solidly funny modern romance with an unexpectedly perceptive attitude about its risqué subject matter. At the end of the day, this rom-com won't satisfy everyone (especially with its abrupt ending), but if you're an open-minded adult filmgoer, it's definitely worth checking out.
The Mac startup sound will never be the same.
I was fortunate to see a pre-screening of this film with a Q&A with JGL. This movie may be incredibly, unapologetically raunchy (not usually my flavor), but at its heart it's actually a very interesting commentary on some relationships. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up enjoying this film. It has some sincerely great moments, both comedically and dramatically, and the cast is phenomenal. I wouldn't recommend this movie to everyone, since I know the raunch would turn a fair number of people off, but it's definitely a cinephile's film. Great work, JGL!
Love it!
Not for children, at all! But behind all the porn, is a really deep message in finding someone you can connect with. The acting by everyone is awesome, and this is JGL's directing debut. The comedy is delivered on point and just an overall great watch. If you aren't offended by porn or nudity, it is a must watch!
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