Don Jon

‘Don Jon” takes a smart, even-handed look at a provocative subject — porn — and measures its effect on the modern male psyche. The film marks the stellar writing and directing debut of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who proves to be a proficient talent in both arenas. Gordon-Levitt stars as Jon, a New Jersey bro who lists the things he cares about in life (“my body, my pad, my family, my church,” etc.) like they’re leftovers from the “Jersey Shore” dudes’ “gym, tan, laundry” mantra. The last item on his list is perhaps the most important: Porn. Jon — who has no trouble scoring girls — prefers his fuss-free, one-sided relationship with online videos to his real-life conquests. He meets his match, or so it would seem, in bombshell Barbara Sugarman (a knockout Scarlett Johansson). He takes her home to meet his family, including his leering father (Tony Danza), his doting mother (Glenne Headly) and his disconnected sister (Brie Larson), who can barely look up from the screen of her smart phone. Barbara only has one demand: That Jon give up his porn. Which proves easier said than done. “Don Jon” examines relationships in a world where every kink and fetish is just a click away. It is less successful in drawing parallels between pornography and Hollywood romantic comedies, which Barbara takes just as seriously as Jon does porn. But Gordon-Levitt’s characters feel real and “Don Jon” is a convincing, authentic, funny, modern romance. The film heads to unexpected places with the arrival of Esther (Julianne Moore), whom Jon meets while taking night classes. But by then we’re already along for the ride, thanks to Gordon-Levitt’s steady hand and confidence in his storytelling. He’s a charmer both in front of and behind the camera. Courtesy: Adam Graham, The Detroit NewsOfficial Trailer