No longer a taboo, the issue of sex/porn addiction has manifested itself in a diverse array of films recently, from Steve McQueen’s Shame to the light-hearted frivolity of Thanks for Sharing.
Actor-turned-writer/director, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jon) stars in Don Jon, a romantic comedy for the modern man. Jon is a latterday Lothario whose expectations of sex are shaped by porn: he feels it’s more superior to “real sex” because the women do things real girlfriends won’t.
The New Jersey playboy mentions in a voiceover the few things he cares about in his life. These being his body, his pad, his ride, his family, his church, his boys, his girls and his porn. When he finally meets the girl of his dreams, Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), he promises to put aside his love for porn, but fails. Jon learns Barbara is hooked on the dopey Hollywood love stories that give her unrealistic expectations of men, but she denies his defensive theory of romcoms being her porn: “They give out awards for that stuff!” Cue the obvious comeback.
Only when he starts to connect with a night-school classmate (Julianne Moore) who has experienced both ends of the human interaction spectrum, from pleasure to extreme heartache and pain, is it that he begins to understand what it means to lose yourself in someone else. We are not shown how much progress Jon makes after this discovery, but it seems as though he may have matured and overcome his selfish, one-sided demands.
Though this film is patently full of satire, like the extreme guido accent demonstrated by all of the cast, or Jon’s extra sleazy friends who rate women on a scale from one to ten. However, the themes which emerge; male/female expectations of partners, love and porn are not to be forgotten.
This certainly won’t find a mainstream audience but it is a fresh, entertaining and well acted piece that at times, like Jon tries a little too hard, but put that down to an eager, skilled first time-director.
The DVD release date is March 24.
