Don Jon (2013)

Gym, car, family dinner, church, repeat. Don Jon runs the same week on a loop, and the repetition is both the joke and the problem. Joseph Gordon-Levitt writes, directs and stars as Jon, a New Jersey bartender who is hooked on screens instead of real connection. He says his prayers in rhythm with his gym reps and turns road rage into a running gag. Scarlett Johansson is sharp as Barbara, who loves romance movies and wants a man she can remodel. Tony Danza steals the dinner scenes as Jon’s dad, yelling at the football game. Brie Larson barely looks up from her phone as Jon’s sister, and that silence is a setup. Julianne Moore brings real warmth late. The trouble is that most people here are types, and once the point lands, the movie keeps landing it. It made $39.4 million worldwide on a reported $5M. A 5.6 because the style is clever and the lesson wears thin. $44.67 says you put your phone in another room tonight and go check on it before the kettle boils.

What works: Gordon-Levitt’s snappy, rhythmic style and a scene-stealing Tony Danza at the family dinner table.

What doesn’t: Most characters are broad types, and the movie hammers the same point again long after it lands.

Who it’s for: Grown-ups who like character comedies with a message and a sharp, repetitive style.