'Don Jon' Is Torn Between Two Loves

Rating: R     Running Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly     

Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Rowdy and unrepentantly raunchy, Don Jon — a film about a guy whose addiction to online porn is ruining his personal relationships — wallows a bit too willingly in the very material it purports to condemn.

But with a sharp, funny script and strong performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore and Tony Danza, the film succeeds as a cautionary tale that may lead millions of guys to (a) stop living in a fantasy world that reduces women to subservient sexual playthings or (b) remember to clear the memory on their laptops before snapping them shut.

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Gordon-Levitt (Inception, 3rd Rock from the Sun), who also writes and directs here, plays Jon. His North Jersey friends have added the "Don" in tribute to his ability to pick up beautiful women at nightclubs. They think he's got it all, and frankly, so does he.

In a self-satisfied voice-over, Jon tell us how happy he is with his women, his family (mother, dad and sister), his bodybuilding prowess, his church (confession every week) … and his porn.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson in "Don Jon."

Relativity Media

But mostly his porn. Like all addicts, Jon insists he could give it up any time he wants, but very soon it's clear he's simply a willing slave to the stuff. Not until he stumbles upon a woman he really likes (Johansson, in full Joisey flower) does he even consider changing his ways.

Before long, though, Jon is undone by his secret life, and he finds himself in the company of a strangely melancholy older woman (Moore, growing more radiant with each passing year) who helps bring some perspective to his life. As Jon, Gordon-Levitt exudes easy charm, his dimpled, squinty smile masking his character's ultimate cluelessness.