Don Jon's Addiction

Don Jon's Addiction is written, directed by and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This film depicts addiction, it's meaning and redemption through the use of pornography, light violence and comedy. Seems like a weird mix I know.

Gordon-Levitt plays Jon, a Jersey-ish character who can't seem to find a woman to satisfy himself mentally and physically like he gets watching pornography. Even when he brings home a supposed "10" played by Scarlett Johansen, he still needs the porn to feel satisfied. When confronted about this behavior Jon swears off the porn to keep Johansen's character from leaving him but simply changes tactic. Eventually she breaks up with him over it. In steps Julianne Moore as an older student and after a few missteps her character and Jon begin a meaningless affair. One day during their activities, she challenges him to give up porn. He tries to and has a hard time with it (pun). The catalyst comes from Moore who talks to him about why porn is a one-sided disconnected feeling. Additionally she indicates that Johansen's character had a similar mentality because she expected to be treated like a queen. I do not want to trivialize what happens but the redemption is apparent rather quickly with Jon realizing that in order to feel the way he expects he needs to loose himself in his partner which leads to a healthy relationship.

I give this film 4 thumbs up. Enjoy it in a theater when it comes out in July with some friends who can handle the concept of porn. This film was purchased for $4 million and has a $25 million marketing commitment. I wonder how the ratings board will rate this and if it gets as wide a release as Gordon-Levitt expects.

Official synopsis:

2013, 90 minutes, color, U.S.A.

Jon Martello objectifies everything in his life: his apartment, his car, his family, his church, and, of course, women. His buddies even call him Don Jon because of his ability to pull “10s” every weekend without fail. Yet even the finest flings don’t compare to the transcendent bliss he achieves alone in front of the computer watching pornography. Dissatisfied, he embarks on a journey to find a more gratifying sex life, but ends up learning larger lessons of life and love through relationships with two very different women.

Crass, funny, and startlingly sincere, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon’s Addiction resonates with its utterly authentic realization of people and place, transcending New Jersey stereotypes by infusing its characters with tantalizing complexities. Gordon-Levitt’s chemistry with costars Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore ignites the screen with heat and emotion. With abundant charm and formidable wit, Don Jon’s Addiction marks the evolution of an incredibly talented actor into a truly gifted writer/director.

Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Screenwriter: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Executive Producer: Nicolas Chartier

Producer: Ram Bergman

Cinematographer: Thomas Kloss

Editor: Lauren Zuckerman

Production Designer: Meghan C. Rogers

Composer: Nathan Johnson

Principal Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Rob Brown