To shake up my Date Night Special recommendations from my first piece which revolved around Last of the Mohicans, I thought I’d change gears completely and go for a very unique romantic comedy. Just as a reminder, this column is all about great date night movies that don’t pander to the formulaic romantic tropes. They have romance, just not the lame kind and for this entry I chose a film that is all about the power of stereotypes and how they blind us from the happiness and true love that is always within our reach. For those of you who like a more contemporary story about eroticism and love, that won’t drown you with sap, I recommend Don Jon, a fantastic independent film directed, written, and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
The titular character, played by Gordon-Levitt, is a product of a comically stereotypical New Jersey up-bringing. Touting an unhealthy addiction to pornography, Jon lives a superficial, hyper-masculine lifestyle. He works out obsessively and sleeps with only the most beautiful women he meets at bars, while never creating a meaningful connection with any of them. In his lop-sided psyche, the only satisfaction he can find is in pornography, which detrimentally feeds his skewed view of women. His family is no help, and his friends admire his honed ability to snag the hottest girls for a one-nighter, landing him his nick-name as Don Jon. He lives in an endless loop of sex, porn and work-outs, lost in the excess of a meaningless life.
Jon’s self-discovery begins when he meets the gorgeous Barbara, who is a stereotype of a different nature. She’s the ultimate Jersey hot chick, and Jon and his buddies immediately single her out as a “dime.” Unfortunately, this “dime” comes with her own agenda on how Jon should behave as her boyfriend and she isn’t afraid to use her physical perfection to get what she wants. Barbara, played by Scarlett Johansson, seems to be everything he thinks he wants, but as they stumble along their doomed relationship, Jon starts to take a class where he meets a fellow student, Esther. The plucky Esther, an older woman depicted beautifully by Julianne Moore, connects innocently and guilelessly with Jon. As Barbara manipulates Jon with her beauty and takes full advantage of his misguided idea that she is the perfect girl, Esther and Jon forge an honest connection. She challenges the deep-set stereotypes that plague Jon and offers him a glimpse of the true humanity hidden under his self-deception. With her honest influence in his life, Jon finds the integrity and strength to reach past his superficial perception of life. Also, you just really love Esther, she is so great in the film and her character holds a magic that I adored. It’s immensely satisfying to see him discover emotional maturity, breaking free of his unhappy cycle. And it packs a punch that it’s an older, less Barbie-esque woman who breaks Jon of the deep-rooted, socio-sexual standards of feminine beauty and compatibility.
Wonderfully written and acted, this movie is perfect to shatter the sexual tension during that “third date” kind of night. It’s funny and edgy enough to trigger some heavy petting, while still being a sweet and genuine story about love and self-discovery. Performances are solid all around and you get some hilarious moments with Toni Danza and Glenne Headly as Jon’s over-the-top parents. As a refreshing twist on modern romance, it suggests that true love and personal integrity are the ultimate prizes in life.
Thanks for reading and happy dating!
The Diva Del Mar
