Don Jon's Out Tomorrow! Should You Go And See It?

Tomorrow is Friday, which - considering everything we’ve been taught - makes today Thursday, November 14. And what better way to spend a Friday night than seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s smug grin on a massive screen? We’re not even being sarcastic.

And neither were the critics when they lauded praise upon this, Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, in which he also stars as the lead alongside Scarlett Johansson. Don Jon is a handsome, cocky young chap with an irresistible charm. His vice: pornography, which comes back to haunt him when he meets a girl strong enough to challenge him.

All the ingredients suggested the final product would be a monumental failure. We’re talking: first-time director playing a risky character in what looks and sounds suspiciously like a romantic comedy. And while it is basically a rom-com, it manages to subvert the genre, combing a handful of solid performances with an original – if not road-tested – screenplay.

Gordon-Levitt talks about Don Jon in this featurette

“As a director, Gordon-Levitt demonstrates considerable technical flair through stylistic flourishes and coaxes great performances out of his co-stars,” writes Time Out’s Catherine Bray. It’s “Smart, witty and more than a little melancholy,” according to Matt Glasby of Total Film. “Don Jon is a fist-pumping success.”

Scarlett Johansson talks about porn

Siobhan Synnot thinks, writing for Scotsman called Don Jon “A lively, savvy film with some great performances from some surprising quarters.” While Digital Spy’s Simon Reynolds said: “Don Jon is a terrific directorial debut from Gordon-Levitt - funny, moving and with something to say about family and relationships.”

Competing for your attention this weekend in cinemas are a few solid alternatives. You’ve got Gravity and Captain Phillips – two Oscars contenders that are more than worth a watch – and Thor: The Dark World, which has impressed some sectors of the film press. Then there’s Philomena, rounding off a strong selection.