First time writer-director Joseph Gordon-Levitt is shedding some light on this porn epidemic by taking an awkward subject and turning it into a 90-minute romantic comedy.

Released September 27, “Don Jon” stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, and Julianne Moore, and tells the story of a self-centered New Jersey guy with false notions of sex, love, and women.

The film follows Jon (Gordon-Levitt), a porn-addicted ladies’ man as he develops a relationship with a woman he meets at a club. As their romance develops, both Jon and Barbara (Johansson) realize their warped ideals on what constitutes a relationship are not what they have been led to believe.

First and foremost, “Don Jon” is not a movie viewers are going to want to watch while trapped between mom and dad. Though Gordon-Levitt manages to ease some awkward tension between each scene with humor, the film is far too intense to sit comfortably.

One of the major problems with the film is its lacking plot. Right from the beginning, Jon narrates that he only cares for a select few things in life, or as he puts it “my body, my pad, my ride, my family, my church, my boys, my girls, and my porn.”

Well, he wasn’t kidding. Almost the entire 90 minute run-time is focused upon one or more of these aspects and though at first it seems ironic, it later becomes boring and tedious.

Another problem within “Don Jon” is the overall pace of the film. Most of the film thoroughly establishes Jon’s unhealthy compulsion and the effects it has on his life. But only a few, brief segments are dedicated to the films conclusion, making the ending seem rushed and under-developed.

Overall, “Don Jon” is a common comedy with an uncommon theme. As a first time writer-director, Gordon-Levitt’s attempt to turn porn-addiction into a romance flick is a brave attempt, but with an underdeveloped story, it ultimately falls short.

I’m giving “Don Jon” 2.5/5 kernels.