The 3rd Rock from the Sun TV show child actor who grew up to become a critically-acclaimed leading man - in films like Brick, (500) Days of Summer and Looper - Joseph Gordon-Levitt has spent close to his entire life appearing on-screen. Hence, it's appropriate that he's now made his writing and directing feature-length debut, in the shape of the 2013 Sundance breakout flick Don Jon.

Levitt headlines the film as the eponymous character nicknamed Don Jon (his real name is Joe Martello), a New Jersey bloke who is quite dedicated to his family, his religion and to sculpting his body; however, Joe's appreciation for members of the opposite sex, beyond the surface appearance, is woefully superficial at best. As a result, he spends most of his time picking up women at bars (for one night stands) and enjoying the... (cough) benefits of a diverse porn collection.

A newly-released Don Jon trailer - featuring an introduction by Levitt - covers that setup material, before teasing the heart of the film's narrative: the blossoming romance between Joe and a local bombshell named Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), who soon finds herself feeling disillusioned when her new boyfriend doesn't live up the fantasy expectations she's imagined -  after having watched too many Hollywood romantic comedies.

Scarlett Johansson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Don Jon's Addiction

Don Jon garnered critical praise at this year's Sundance Film Festival, before it was acquired by Relativity - at a cost of $4 million - for theatrical release (back when it was called Don Jon's Addiction).

The Don Jon trailer - like the Sundance reviews - points to Levitt's debut being a funny and occasionally biting farce about modern-day gender dynamics and how media shapes our expectations. Admittedly, with regard to the film's visual style, Don Jon doesn't seem all that impressive; then again, it is only the first time when Levitt's sat in the director's chair (so a basic approach to the cinematography and editing might be all he's comfortable with for the time being).

Rounding out the supporting cast featured in Levitt's directorial debut are Julianne Moore (Carrie), Brie Larson (21 Jump Street), Rob Brown (The Dark Knight Rises), and Glenne Headley and Tony Danza as Joe's mother and father, Angela and Jon Sr.

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Don Jon begins a limited U.S. theatrical release on October 18th, 2013.

Source: iTunes Movie Trailers