Don Jon is a witty and thoughtful film about relationships. Jon treats everything in his life as objects he gains pleasure from, including the women he "scores" every weekend. But nothing can compare to the porn he accesses on his computer. The real life girls have the complications of being, well, REAL and don't always exactly match his lofty expectations. The porn girls don't disappoint, so he always returns to them.
Jon is a creature of habit - from his workout routine, to going to church (and confession, although he never actually changes his behavior), to cleaning his apartment, to Sunday dinner with his family (his family is wonderfully portrayed by Tony Danza, Glenn Headly and Brie Larson. All hilarious and convincing). When he meets Barbara (Scarlett Johannson), things are turned somewhat upside down. She's a true "10" and Jon is willing to change himself to get a chance to sleep with her. As much as Jon objectifies her as a sex object, she also objectifies him to be "starring" in one of the romantic movies she loves and tries to model her life after. Barbara has lot of qualifications that Jon has to conform to in order to be with her (go to school, get a better job, get a cleaning lady, etc.).
About half-way through the film, Jon meets Esther (Julianne Moore), an older woman who helps him to discover more about sex and connections and eventually himself. Jon's interactions with Esther are what elevates this movie from a witty rom-com to a real commentary on searching for oneself and forging true connections with others.
The beginning of the movie plays like a rom-com and is filled with lots of laughable moments. But as it goes on, it becomes a more serious commentary on how to open yourself to another person and how to transform One warning - if you're sensitive to frank sex talk or porn images, skip this one.
Amazon Instant Video (streaming online video and digital download)