Don Jon

One thing’s for sure about the lead character in Don Jon — nobody in the audience will think as highly of him as he thinks of himself.

Of course, that’s intentional to an extent in the directorial debut of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also plays the title role in this over-the-top sex comedy that’s audacious yet empty.

Gordon-Levitt plays the title role, as a brash New Jersey womanizer and workout freak whose reputation for charming women has earned praise from his equally materialistic buddies.

Amid all of his empty relationships and one-night stands, however, Jon’s biggest thrill comes from his addiction to online pornography. In an effort to settle down and tame his own bad-boy image, he appears to find a match with Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), who plays hard-to-get, and Esther (Julianne Moore), an older woman from Jon’s night-school class who enjoys the attention from a younger man.

The film provides some solid laughs yet is likely to polarize moviegoers with regard to their sympathy for Jon, a character that many will love to hate. He might be fun to watch, but even in his quieter moments, he’s not sympathetic.

Gordon-Levitt, who also wrote the script, attracted a capable supporting cast to the material, including Tony Danza, who brings plenty of energy as Jon’s motor-mouthed father and the head of a family in which both Italian and Catholic influences run deep.

Johansson and Moore each bring intriguing dynamics to their roles as women who have more depth than it first appears. Gordon-Levitt proves himself capable of handling a leading-man role in which bravado masks an inner vulnerability.

The screenplay is generally predictable in its story of redemption, and it doesn’t have an ounce of subtlety. It’s fitting that a movie about porn addiction is so shallow and superficial, although it does offer a somewhat intriguing perspective on gender politics.

While Don Jon is an uneven exercise in style over substance, at least Gordon-Levitt isn’t afraid to take some risks. He demonstrates confidence and potential as a filmmaker, and his proven acting ability gives him a bright future on both sides of the camera.

Rated R, 90 minutes.