Review of Don Jon (2013) by Private U — 18 Feb 2014

Solid acting. Not particularly strong directing, screenwriting, or cinematography. There is certainly no definitive or consistent look to the film, or crafty way of pulling you into it visually. It's reminded me of a very professional-looking student film.

JGL does an excellent acting job in the lead role, but he is sorely miscast. Having had plenty of access to these types of characters in my childhood, I just could not square this actor with this character in any way.

Scarlett Johansson also does a great job, but her character is only slightly less boring than his. The amount of dishonest, unrealistic moments start to build up rather quickly. By the time you're 30 minutes into the film, it becomes a bit difficult to take the film seriously at all (a guy with Brad Pitt looks and George Clooney charm couldn't pull beautiful girls from a club as easy as his character does.

..every time he goes to the club). Don Jon doesn't have much of anything interesting to say, nor do his friends, or his family. The point of the film (that unconnected sex is bad) is made again and again.

..then made again. It never really knows what it wants to be, comedy or drama, and it doesn't invest in any one plot line long enough to make the viewer care. The main character and his friends are so small, shallow, and uninteresting that the script and direction would have to be at the expert level to make them even remotely compelling for more than a few minutes.

I admire JGL for getting this film done. But my advice, if you want to watch a great film about young, shallow, sex-obsessed Italian Americans who "evolve" during the course of the story, go out and rent Saturday Night Fever.

It will likely have a much stronger, and longer, impact, and you won't feel like you're watching over-the-top dinner theater.