The Male Rom-Com
Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Release Date: 2013
Rating: 18
Running Time: 90 mins
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Actors: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlet Johanson, Julianne Moore
'There are only a few things I really care about in life, my body, my pad, my ride, my family, my church, my boys, my girls, my porn.'
Joseph Gordon-Levit makes his debut as a writer/directer in this controversial yet altogether enjoyable film about a man battling an addiction to pornography, whilst trying to win the heart of incredibly seductive Scarlet Johanson who wants her life to be like the ones she sees in romantic movies. The film attacks the rom-com genre from a whole new and fresh angle focussing mainly on the male figure who is very much an outsider to falling in love or even just settling down.
Don Jon combines smart wit and humour to form a film that everyone can relate to in one way or another. JGL gives a brilliant performance in his first film as a director showing just how capable the young auteur is. I hope the films by Joey keep on coming because if they can top Don Jon, then he is really onto a winner. I found the directing and editing in this film to be very professional and altogether genius for a début, furthermore the acting was also highly inventive and enjoyable from everyone, so much so that I didn't want the film to end. I suppose there's only so much that a film about a man with a pornography addiction can tell us, but I found it, despite being slightly plotless, it was still one of the best films I'd seen all year and in a way, I wish it had actually lasted for a bit longer. I liked the way that throughout the whole film we follow JGL through his routine that he states at the start and what works so effectively about this is how the continuously follow on in order from one another and the camera for each one doesn't change it's position each time and shows it being exactly the same, captivating this monotonous OCD routine that he's found himself in. For a first time director it's understandable that this would be hard to do and pull off not only successfully but meaningfully so the audience are able to pick up on it, which of course allowed all of it to add to the comedy aspect of the film.
Well done Joey, a triumphant début.
7/10
