“My body, my pad, my ride, my family, my church, my boys, my girls and my porn.” This is the mantra of one strong, handsome Jersey boy who has no trouble attracting “10s” on the dance floor. This is a guy who gets hard from the sound of a MacBook booting up in anticipation of watching porn. This is the life of Jon Martello, better known as Don Jon.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt wrote his new film, “Don Jon,” as a modern version of the mythical Spanish figure named “Don Juan,” a womanizing libertine. This adaptation is set in New Jersey, and instead of 17th-century Spaniards, “Don Jon” includes a few of the state’s most prominent stereotypes. Referred to as “guidos” and “JAPs” (Jewish-American Princesses) in the film, these characters create a fresh and funny caricature of life in the present-day Garden State.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays “Don” Jon Martello, who has no qualms admitting that he prefers masturbating to actual sex. Yet, that doesn’t stop him from hitting the clubs with his “bros,” spitting his impeccable game and scoring every night. Don’t be fooled, though: Jon is a complex character. He understands the value of a Swiffer and spends Sunday morning at Mass, followed by an afternoon eating spaghetti with his family. He confesses his sins each week, and recites his assigned prayers while simultaneously lifting at the gym.
But Jon’s cyclical life comes to a screeching halt the moment he sets eyes on Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson). At first Jon is head-over-heels for his new girlfriend, who warms his bed and encourages him to attend night school. But soon she begins to show her true colors, and her incessant nagging compels Jon to turn back to porn. The story takes a few unexpected twists when Esther (Julianne Moore), an eccentric middle-aged woman, offers Jon some helpful advice. It may sound crude, but this porn-addict’s love story is remarkably captivating.
“Don Jon” is also the feature directorial debut of Gordon-Levitt and was produced, in part, by his production company, HitRecord Productions. Gordon-Levitt’s attention to detail shows in the film’s superb cinematography, provocative sound track and phenomenal acting. One shining example, Scarlett Johansson, nails the accent, attitude and air of a materialistic, domineering Jersey girl Barbara (a character Gordon-Levitt wrote with Johansson in mind).
Another highlight of the film is the detail woven into Jon’s family dinner scenes, which will perhaps remind some audience members of their own family gatherings. These often depict Jon and his father (Tony Danza) screaming over one another just to be heard and Jon’s neurotic mother (Glenne Headly) complaining about how she’ll die without grandchildren across the traditional spread of Sunday dinner fare.
Aside from the attractive faces and spot-on acting present in “Don Jon,” this film has a sense of morality that is conveyed in a way that is neither preachy nor contrived. It explores the expectations men and women have in relationships and searches to find out what it really takes to become intimate with someone. For most of the movie, Jon is objectifying and selfish with a hyperbolized notion of ideal sex due to his obsession with pornography. When he meets Barbara, a woman who is equally selfish, Jon initially thinks he’s hit the jackpot — only to later learn that she does not even slightly resemble the woman he desires. Throughout the course of the movie, Jon’s dynamic character develops naturally, leaving the audience both pleased and inspired.
“Don Jon” is a witty, relatable film with a star-studded cast. Take a step back from your Internet addiction — whether it’s online shopping, reading Buzzfeed or, yes, even watching porn — and see this film in theaters on Sept. 27.
