“Don Jon,” the writing and directorial debut of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is easy enough to enjoy. It’s fairly straightforward, it has some wonderfully funny and vulgar bits and Gordon-Levitt brings a certain level of energy and zaniness to the whole affair that makes it difficult to completely dislike.
At the same time, however, you can tell that it’s a directorial debut. Despite its simple pleasures, Gordon-Levitt’s screenplay doesn’t cut deep enough. Most of the characters remain underdeveloped, he tosses around certain themes that aren’t explored very much and there are major plot points and revelations that come a little too late. Still, it’s a worthy effort, even if it doesn’t entirely work.
Gordon-Levitt plays the title character, Jon, a loud-mouthed, hot-headed New Jersey guy you would see on a show like “Jersey Shore.” He only seems to care about a few things in life: women, working out and spending time with his family on Sunday after church.
Gordon-Levitt is probably the main reason to even consider seeing “Don Jon.” Even though the role doesn’t fit into his history of playing intelligent (sometimes charming), witty, nice guys (Jon is almost the exact opposite), he’s still likable. There’s something genuine and upfront about him that makes you remain on his side the entire time. He also has a few little quirks — like being a clean freak and confessing his sins every Sunday, even though he doesn’t try to improve himself — that add a bit more to his personality.
In most respects, he’s the classic, romantic-comedy stud: It usually takes only a single glance before he beds the girl and then never sees her again. That is, until he encounters Barbara (a gum-snapping Scarlett Johansson with a Jersey accent) who, in Jon’s words, is a “dime” (perfect 10). She makes him play “the long game,” and pretty soon, they’re going out.
But then there’s Esther (Julianne Moore), who’s in one of his night-school courses. She’s older, not as attractive, kooky, meddlesome and kind of a mess, and yet, slowly but surely, a spark appears between them.
Gordon-Levitt spends too much time on the Jon/Barbara relationship. Johansson does what she can, but the role doesn’t have much substance. Toward the end, there is a suggestion that she, too, has a one-sided approach to relationships, but it comes a little too late and isn’t explored any further.
What Levitt should have focused on was the Jon/Esther relationship because it turns out to be the central relationship. She’s not Jon’s typical girl, but she sees right through his shtick and exposes his flaws. As good as Gordon-Levitt and Moore are together, their relationship isn’t given enough time to develop naturally.
Perhaps the film could be longer (it’s only 90 minutes), although I’m not sure it utilizes the time it does have very well. Overall, the picture doesn’t come together, and it ends mid-story.
Gordon-Levitt has now shown that he has some talent when it comes to comedy, not just in front of the camera but behind it as well, and if he continues to direct, he could definitely improve. There are some clever bits of humor and all of the acting is solid, but “Don Jon” is simply not fully realized.
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