Summer of Netflix Day 17: Don Jon

Jason: I’m not really sure what I was expecting going into this one. I knew that it was written and directed by JGL and I knew a basic plot line. But let’s face it, I really only watched this one because of Scarlett Johansson. Addiction is one of film’s favorite themes. Over the years, audiences have watched people fall through drug and alcohol problems, gambling addictions, and even an addiction to murder. It was interesting watching someone play out a different kind addiction that is not as widely known. Addiction to pornography is a relatively recent affliction that has taken hold of many people, male and female. In the last twenty years, porn has become infinitely available to everyone with a computer and the internet. And yet, very few people know that it can be as debilitating as alcoholism. JGL does an excellent job portraying the mentality of a person who is completely consumed by addiction and does not acknowledge it. His demeanor and nonchalant attitude toward his problem are characteristics shared by addicts the world over. To see this issue that most people don’t even think about as an issue wreak havoc on a man’s life really calls into question what we, as a society, see as “typical male behavior”. A few of the characters, including Jon,  mention that “all boys look at porn.” Is this a true statement, and if so, how many of them end up being hopelessly addicted to it? Is porn really something that someone can become addicted to at all? Or are they just overly horny? The movie doesn’t try to answer these questions. It only responds to how this seemingly innocuous act can affect a person’s life. And in that respect, it does an excellent job.

Chris: Throw this on in the category of movies that I didn’t expect that I would like and the surprising thing about it all is that for a movie that is so filled with superficial, it’s got a lot of heart before the end of it. The movie features a stellar cast led by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also wrote and directed Don Jon. I loved ScarJo in this movie in the sense that I  completely couldn’t stand her character. It’s the notion that Jon never really recognizes that once you get past Barbara’s extreme physical attractiveness, she’s just a woman that’s lost in her own detached reality in which she can shape a guy into being whatever she views as the perfect companion for her. I don’t wanna sit here and say that I grew up with quite a few girls (and some guys too) that were like this and that I may have even dated one...but it happens and it’s an infuriating relationship for everybody involved.

And then there’s Jon’s porn addiction, as if it was possible to even talk about this movie without addressing it. I’m not condemning or condoning that level of porn use, I’ve always been a bit of “all things in moderation” kind of guy. However, there is one thing to be said, and it’s a point that was made in the movie, about how too much of it will detach one from the real thing and force people to think THAT is what relationships and sex should be.

In the end, the heartfelt content makes up for a lot of the meatheaded moments that make up the majority but even that comes across more as fun-loving idiocy than anything malicious. The MVP of this movie is hands-down the editing, it’s creative and becomes it’s own fun and noticeable element.

Joel: Part of what makes this movie so good, is thinking about just how bad of a movie it could have been if it had been made by a different creative team. Just imagine the exact same plot but with an “American Pie Presents:” Banner attached. Don Jon is super attractive, and all the ladies love him, but he still loves his porn. Isn’t that hilarious? Not saying that there isn’t a time and place for American Pie, because there is, but the handling of the topics addressed in Don Jon is what makes the movie work so well. It’s so easy to not see something as an addiction when you’re the one who’s addicted to it. The excuses that you make, they’re so easy to justify, there are so many of them to choose from, it’s not really an addiction. It’s easy to deflect blame on other people who “just don’t understand.” But at the end of the day at some point you need to look at your life and decide. It’s a bold move for a movie to say sometimes real life is better than movies (any kind of movie. Multiple types of movies are talked about in Don Jon) but it makes a good point. Easily worth checking out if you get a chance here.

Your Viewing Homework for Tomorrow: Horns