Review of Don Jon

Directorial projects from people otherwise renown for their acting are usually a 50/50 affair. On the one side you have those best forgotten vanity projects and on the other you have the rare instance of absolute brilliance. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut, "Don Jon", falls squarely into the latter category.

The titular Jon (played by Levitt) is a veritable Casanova stuck in a comfortable rut of habitual behavior; from his home life, to his every relationship, and, yes, to his intimate life. However, all semblance of peace and security is thrown awry when a woman that defies his expectations enters the scene. Jon begins a tumultuous battle with himself even as he begins to experience a dramatic self-actualization that takes him from self-obsessed pretty boy to selfless man.

On the surface "Don Jon" is about the destructive power of porn addiction and its debilitating effects on the proper development of your average male. For all its relative comfort, Jon's life is robbed of meaning by his dependence on pornography and its unreachable standards However, the film proves to have a deeper and more meaningful grasp on the subject than it would let up. From his father's toxic masculinity, to his sister's inability to live outside her phone, to his girlfriend's controlling nature, virtually no one in Jon's world is without some form of addictive or destructive behavior.

All this is amusingly presented in a twisted facsimile of a modern rom-com (which, of course, have their own ridiculous standards). Indeed, objectification and its dehumanizing effects are thoroughly lambasted and in a way that we might find hits uncomfortably (although hilariously) close to home. We, as viewers, are not spared but make no mistake, this isn't a preachy affair. No, in fact, Jon's journey is a hopeful one.

And there truly lies the ingenuity of this movie. It would have been easy to make a cynical piece about this subject but Levitt opts to make an uplifting one with a profound message about the importance of selflessness both in normal life and in an intimate one. "Don Jon" is that revelation we all know is right around the corner but we fear because we know it means being taken out of our comfort zone. It's a red pill in cinematic form. An essential film not only for the modern male but for the modern person.

Honestly, I'm floored at how exceptionally well made "Don Jon" is. From it's clever, subversive writing, to its self-aware editing, to its fantastic cast (something of a surprise of its own), and its sudden unexpected heart. Then again, why should I be? Levitt has been subverting expectations for a good long while now. This movie is a treasure. 10/10