Don Jon Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Don Jon Blu-ray Movie Review

Fantasy vs. reality.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 8, 2014

Joseph Gordon-Levitt had already been acting for several years when he really broke through into mainstream popularity as part of the ensemble on the wacky sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun in 1996. Millions of audience members watched Gordon-Levitt mature from a gawky teenager to a, well, gawky young adult over the five years (more or less) of the series, but even during the run of the show Gordon-Levitt was padding his resumé with a varied assortment of film roles and television guest spots. The fates aren’t always kind to child (and/or younger) actors as they age into adulthood, but Gordon-Levitt seems to have made the transition more gracefully than many, and the past decade or so has seen him undertake a number of really interesting assignments, which include everything from proto- indie fare like Latter Days and Hesher to blockbusters like Inception, The Dark Knight Rises and Lincoln. It’s notable that Gordon-Levitt often takes supporting roles in these films, seemingly more invested in creating a memorable character than burnishing his burgeoning star status. That oft repeated Hollywood maxim that all actors really want to do is direct may now be applied to Gordon-Levitt as well, for after helming some really interesting shorts over the past few years, the still young performer has now offered up his first feature film as writer-director, the oddball romance Don Jon. Even some fans of Gordon-Levitt may not realize that he has a perhaps genetic component to his directorial acumen, for his maternal grandfather was Michael Gordon, a journeyman Hollywood director whose name may frankly never have matriculated into the general consciousness of the film going public, but who was nonetheless responsible for such notable outings as 1950’s Cyrano de Bergerac (for which star José Ferrer won the Academy Award for Best Actor) and 1959’s Pillow Talk, still considered one of the most ebullient romantic comedies ever made.

The apple may not fall from the tree, as yet another old adage goes, but in the case of Gordon-Levitt, Don Jon is a rather far cry from the “sexcapades” that were part and parcel of the typical Rock Hudson-Doris Day outing. The title character is one Jon Martello, Jr. (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a porn addicted young man who has a brief laundry list of items about which he cares, which include (in no particular order) his body, his “girls”, his pad, and, of course, his porn. Jon is a man-child with his own peculiar moral center (he regularly goes to church with his parents, played wonderfully by Tony Danza and Glenne Headly), but he’s also adrift in a way, as evidenced by his porn habit and the fact that he seems to prefer gratifying himself while watching online sex to the “real thing” (though he has no dearth of activity in that regard).

Don Jon is curiously one of two Blu-rays recently released that emphasize the hypersexualized world of advertising, online content and broadcast media and how that ends up affecting young males in particular (the other entry in this burgeoning subgenre is the fairly lackluster Thanks for Sharing). While Jon would probably fit in rather well, psychologically speaking, with the “sex addicts” who populate the other film, Gordon-Levitt actually gives Jon several monologues throughout Don Jon where he rationalizes his love for porn. Things begin to change—if only slightly—when Jon spies a rare “dime” at a nightclub (he rates every female he sees and refuses to bed any girl who’s less than an 8). That turns out to be blonde bombshell Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson, like Gordon-Levitt affecting a pretty good Jersey accent).

Jon’s ability to compartmentalize is momentarily thrown for a loop when Barbara belies her “dumb blonde” good looks and actually seems to not only have a brain, but also actual honest to goodness opinions about how Jon should live his life. Suddenly fantasy and reality are colliding in a way they never have before, and Jon doesn’t quite know what to make of the situation. Gordon-Levitt plays this part of the film very smartly, showing that neither character in this dance is above reproach, and refusing to shirk from either person’s foibles. Jon does begin to give in to Barbara’s demands, but there’s no mistaking the increasing disconnect Jon is beginning to feel with regard to his overly ordered day to day existence, something that is of course at odds with his porn addiction, something that Barbara finds out about and wants to put a stop to.

Barbara—despite her brash attitude—would seem to be everything Jon has ever lusted after, and yet he still feels an emptiness inside that perhaps not even his continuing porn issue can assuage. The film takes a rather refreshing late turn when Jon meets Esther (Julianne Moore), an older woman who seems to accept Jon for the dysfunctional hybrid that he is. Here, finally, Jon has a chance to simply be himself, warts and all, and suddenly Barbara’s machinations seem all the less tolerable. It’s to Gordon-Levitt’s credit that Don Jon doesn’t opt for a typical happy ending, and in fact the film skewers the typical romantic comedy setup in a quick montage that features Anne Hathaway and Channing Tatum as that “perfect couple” who seem to inhabit virtually every film in this genre.

Gordon-Levitt is perhaps a bit too married to a traditional three act structure, and the denouement has a too pat feeling about it, but overall this is an assured, nicely nuanced first feature from this budding auteur. The film is graced by some fantastic performances. The wiry Gordon-Levitt would probably be no one’s first choice to play a so-called Guido, and yet he carries the film easily here, affecting the hulking machismo that guys of this type tend to ooze. Johansson is remarkable in her own way, creating a character who may not be entirely sympathetic but who’s eminently believable. Moore, in what is essentially a kind of throwaway role (albeit an important one), is graceful and confident as the “older” woman who finally helps Jon understand that reality can in fact exceed the lure of the internet.

Don Jon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Don Jon is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.41:1. Gordon-Levitt and his cinematographer Thomas Kloss give a kind of glossy look to the location work in Jersey and environs (some of the film was shot in Los Angeles). Colors are very nicely saturated throughout the film, with some of the outdoor footage popping quite nicely. The film has a warm golden ambience a lot of the time which intentionally contrasts with the kind of slightly smarmy characters being depicted. Quite a bit of the film takes place in darker interior scenes, and while contrast remains strong here, there's a slight loss of shadow detail at times. The transfer here shows a natural though extremely fine grain pattern, and the overall image is wonderfully clear, with excellent fine detail.

Don Jon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Don Jon's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is an uncommonly boisterous affair for this sort of dramedy. Some of this sonic energy comes from the film's smart use of source cues and general underscore, all of which utilize the surround channels quite effectively. Dialogue is very cleanly presented and there's some good immersion throughout the film courtesy of well placed ambient environmental effects.

Don Jon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Making of Don Jon (1080p; 6:45) has some decent behind the scenes footage, but is a pretty lightweight EPK.


• Don Jon's Origin (1080p; 7:20) features Gordon-Levitt discussing the genesis of the character and the project.


• Joe's Hats! (1080p; 4:50) is about Gordon-Levitt's multitasking on the film.


• Objectified (1080p; 5:07) deals with Jon's tendency to objectify those around him.


• Themes and Variations (1080p; 5:39) profiles composer Nathan Johnson.


• HitRECord Shorts (1080p; 13:09)


• Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 2:26)

Don Jon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Don Jon isn't a perfect film, but it's a damned enjoyable one. Highlighted by some smart writing and nicely vigorous performances, the film marks a major debut by Gordon-Levitt in his new guise as a so-called multi-hyphenate. The film ends up being just a bit too pat for its own good, but there's a refreshing honesty and heart in this very appealing film. The video and audio are top notch, and even without a glut of supplements, Don Jon comes Highly recommended.