Don Jon addresses an issue that is hard to address as we are within it and
therefore lack a perspective that offers clear judgement. With this in mind,
writer, director and actor Joseph Gordon Levitt deserves a huge amount of
credit for being able to articulate this modern societal issue and work it into
a film that works.
The issue at hand is,
bluntly, pornography. If the statistics are to be believed then pornography is
the most common use of the Internet and is a bigger industry than Hollywood. It
is also a huge societal concern that brings commentary from all parties,
including political ones. Therefore a topic worthy of examination.
Within the narrative
of Don Jon Gordon-Levitt proffers the
idea that pornography (and in more general terms the use of soft core sexuality
to advertise) has reached such ubiquity that it is acceptable; he may be right.
Yet the film goes onto suggest that this is contributing towards a
disintegration of ‘real’ relationships and is instead promoting extremely
superficial ones. And again, Don Jon
makes a convincing case.
Added to this, the
film provides a subtle criticism of Catholicism as Jon strives to reduce his
number of Hail Mary’s by watching less pornography and sleeping with fewer
women out of wedlock. His reaction when he sees there is no connection between
the church’s punishment and his confession is an enjoyable realisation for us
to witness.
Don Jon needs its first act to find its feet and discover its confidence, but
when it does and the story settles down it is hugely enjoyable and easily
achieves a level of depth that offers an acerbic commentary on where society
may be heading.
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