Don Jon

In an effort to prove that he can do literally anything better than you, Joseph Gordon-Levitt writes, directs and stars in the nimble anti-romantic comedy Don Jon. His sex-obsessed Don is both a Long Island party hound and a strict Catholic devotee, and he brings a ritualistic asceticism to every aspect of his life, from his home-cleaning habits to his many meaningless carnal encounters. Even after Don finds a dream girlfriend (Scarlett Johansson), his most satisfying relationship is with his pornography folder. Don's lifestyle of self-obsession is fetishized in a manner almost worthy of American Gigolo, but a broader and less engaging tone is employed in the scenes with his sitcomlike family. Still, it's hard to believe that a film about the toxicity of sexual dehumanization could be this sweet, and that makes Don Jon more than a mere résumé stuffer.