Can Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s stock go any higher? If “Don Jon’s Addiction,” a new film which he wrote, directed and stars in, is any indication, then yes. Premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the movie has JGL playing against type alongside an all-star cast of Scarlett Johansson, Tony Danza and Julianne Moore. If you also take into account its lurid sexual storyline, this movie could be one of most talked-about films of the festival.
In “Don Jon’s Addiction” Gordon-Levitt stars as the titular character Don Jon, a Jersey bro obsessed with one thing: pornography. (We’ll give you a second to wrap your head around the often suave and sophisticated Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing a character with a “Situation”-esque lilt who loves pumping iron and surfing PornHub.) Sure, he enjoys the weekly one-night stand — an area he has no trouble succeeding in — but it doesn’t give him the same pleasure as online smut. What follows is scene after scene of JGL staring into the digital ether as he pleasures himself to carefully cropped footage of triple-X clips. (There’s going to be a lot left on the cutting room floor if they want to get this film an R rating.)
Soon, Don Jon falls in love with whom he calls the “perfect girl.” Her name is Barbara Sugartown and she’s played by Johansson. Like Gordon-Levitt, ScarJo is also going against type — dolled up in tight shirts and short skirts, with large hoop earrings dangling from her ears and a thick thick Jersey accent to boot. As Don Jon begins to fall for Barbara, he attempts to balance his new relationship with a beautiful woman (the two stars share a few steamy sex scenes), and his on-going relationship with porn.
So, in an era where Hollywood is producing a noticeable lack of movies for adults, Gordon-Levitt has managed to deliver one right on our doorstep. Yes, it focuses heavily on porn, but this film is more about the physical and emotional relationships human beings have with each other, and why many today fall short.
“I wanted to tell a love story, and in my observations, what always gets in the way of love are people objectifying each other,” said an animated Gordon-Levitt after the first official screening of his film. “Rather than engaging with a unique human being, you go ‘What’s her face like? What’s her ass like? How much money did you make?’ So I wanted to tell a story about that. In fact I was thinking about it in terms of movies before I was thinking about it in terms of porn. The way that people learn what they’re supposed to like is from Hollywood romances.”
In a sense, Gordon-Levitt has pulled off the anti-romcom, with a clever storyline, a talented cast and spectacular direction. This would be an admirable feat from any filmmaker, but coming from an A-lister like JGL, it’s both eye-opening and a bit improbable, especially if you take into consideration the success he’s had in the last year, starring in three certified blockbusters: “Lincoln,” “Looper” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”
JGL is one of the few high-profile celebrities today admired on both the mainstream and indie level. Directing a film of this caliber is will raise his profile even further. There aren’t many out there who have tried to pull off what Gordon-Levitt is attempting. The reason people continue to follow and support his career is because he manages to do it so seamlessly.
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‘jOBS’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Ashton Kutcher, Josh Gad, Dermot Mulrooney, Matthew Modine, J.K. Simmons <strong>What’s It About:</strong> The film traces the professional and personal life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> No, your eyes have not deceived you: That’s funnyman Ashton Kutcher playing the iconic inventor/entrepreneur. This movie likely hinges on Kutcher’s acting ability (which some don’t find that … serious). That said, AplusK does have a talented cast backing him up. Look for this film to be one of the big headline-grabbers of Sundance
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‘Lovelace’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Robert Patrick <strong>What’s It About:</strong> Split into three parts, this biopic focuses on the life of infamous porn star Linda Lovelace, who starred in the equally infamous “Deep Throat.” <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> The story of Linda Lovelace is one of Hollywood’s seediest. With “Les Mis” star Amanda Seyfried in the titular role, and “Howl” directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman behind the camera, this movie is one to keep an eye on, especially when you take into consideration the anti-porn stance Lovelace took in the 1980s.
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‘The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Shia LaBeouf, Rupert Grint, Evan Rachel Wood <strong>What’s It About:</strong> Charlie Countryman falls in love with the wife of a violent mob boss, and then tries to woo her by any means necessary (even dying). <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> There are a lot of Shia LaBeouf haters out there, but the pairing with Evan Rachel Wood in this movie just seems to make sense. Also, here we get to see Rupert Grint sans-wizard robe, which should give any Potterhead reason enough to check this flick out.
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‘Crystal Fairy’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Michael Cera, Gaby Hoffmann, Agustín Silva, José Miguel Silva <strong>What’s It About:</strong> From Chilean director Sebastián Silva, this film follows a group of friends who decide to take a legendary shamanistic hallucinogen called the San Pedro cactus. Craziness ensues. <strong>Why Should You Pay Attention:</strong> Will this finally be the film that Michael Cera breaks out of the awkward-nerdy typecast he’s best known for? Maybe. If not, it could be fun to see that same Cera-esque character tripping on drugs in Chile for an entire movie.
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‘Mud’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon <strong>What’s It About:</strong> Two best friends stumble upon the outlaw known as Mud (McConaughey), a man who recruits the duo to his cause: “the search for true love and a clean getaway.” <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> McConaughey! 2012 was easily the biggest of the actor’s career, with critically acclaimed roles in “Killer Joe,” “Bernie” and “Magic Mike.” Let’s see if he can continue the magic in this indie flick.
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‘Don Jon’s Addiction’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza</strong> <strong>What’s It About:</strong> Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut has him starring as a modern-day Don Juan, who looks to find a more gratifying sex life rather than his usual one-night stands. <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> Speaking of successful 2012s, Gordon-Levitt’s wasn’t too shabby, with roles in “Looper” and “The Dark Knight Rises.” Here, he’s both behind and in front of the camera. As one of Hollywood’s rising stars, this directorial debut is a must-see.
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‘The East’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson <strong>What’s It About:</strong> An FBI agent goes undercover in a mysterious anarchist group known as The East, to find out who has been poisoning big corporate CEOs <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> With a cast that includes Page, Marling, Skarsgård and Clarkson, and a timely storyline (aka anti-one-perecenter stance), this could be a sleeper hit in the making.
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‘Kill Your Darlings’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall <strong>What’s It About:</strong> In 1944, a young Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac end up witnessing a murder, one that ends up changing the writers’ lives forever. <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> Daniel Radcliffe as Ginsberg has buzz written all over it. Though it’s not his first post-‘Potter’ role (that would go to the forgotten horror flick, “The Woman in Black”), this one is sure to make the rounds.
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‘Ain’t Them Bodies Saints’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker, Keith Carradine <strong>What’s It About:</strong> An outlaw couple, Ruth and Bob get caught after an extended crime spree. However, after Ruth wounds a police officer, Bob takes the blame. <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> An incredible cast, that’s why! Oscar nominee Rooney Mara does a complete 180, as she goes from playing gothic Swedish hacker to Southern wife and criminal.
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‘Prince Avalanche’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch <strong>What’s It About:</strong> An odd couple decides to leave the city for the summer and spend it painting traffic lines on country highways (exciting!). Soon, a special bond develops. <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> Though director David Gordon Green swung and missed with his last two films, “The Sitter” and “Your Highness,” this movie stars the always hilarious Paul Rudd and the talented Emile Hirsch.
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‘Breathe In’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, Amy Ryan, Mackenzie Davis <strong>What’s It About:</strong> A music teacher looks back on his days as a starving artist in the city, exacerbated by the arrival of a foreign exchange student now living with his family. <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> The last time director Drake Doremus had a film at Sundance (“Like Crazy”) it won the dramatic Grand Jury Prize. Needless to say, he is someone to watch this year, especially with a movie that includes the talents of Pearce and Jones.
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‘Stoker’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver, Nicole Kidman <strong> What’s It About:</strong> After a young girl’s father dies in a car accident, her mysterious Uncle comes to live with her and her mother — but she soon realzies that he has disturbing ulterior motives. <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> Directed by “Oldboy” helmer Park Chan-Wook, this film not only looks downright terrifying, it stars the talented Mia Wasikowska in the lead role. Also, Nicole Kidman shows up in her first post-“Paperboy” flick.
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‘Touchy Feely’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Rosemarie DeWitt, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Scoot McNairy, Ellen Page, Josh Pais <strong>What’s It About:</strong> A brother and sister beging to unravel, when one discovers “healing touch” powers, and the other develops an aversion to bodily contact <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> If this movie is half as entertaining as director Lynne Shelton’s last flick (the critically acclaimed comedy “Your Sister’s Sister), then you’ll want to keep your eyes out for this one.
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‘Upstream Color’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth <strong>What’s It About:</strong> A woman is drugged by a small-time thief, and soon discovers another being consumed by, and I quote, “the life cycle of a presence that permeates the microscopic world.” <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> Strange synopses, aside, “Upstream Color” comes from the mind of writer/director Shane Carruth, whose last film, the indie hit “Primer,” won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. Needless to say, his sure-to-be-surreal new project is on many critics must-see lists.
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‘A.C.O.D.’
<strong>Who’s In It:</strong> Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O’Hara, Amy Poehler, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clark Duke <strong>What’s It About:</strong> Carter attempts to negotiate a truce between his parents. At the same time, he soon discovers that he was the main subject of his childhood therapist’s self-help book. <strong>Why You Should Pay Attention:</strong> This film from first time director Stuart Zicherman has an intriguing storyline and a very talented cast, including the always enjoyable Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins and this year’s Globes host Amy Poehler.
