That said, when I saw the preview to this movie, I knew I had to see it. My favorite actor (since Angels in the Outfield) doing a movie about the damages of porn? Sounds refreshing. And this is mainstream media, not Christian media, so I knew it wasn't going be (please don't hate me for saying this!!!) cheesy. So I sat through the first 20 minutes or so of pure raunchiness knowing and anticipating the message I knew would be coming.
JGL held nothing back in detailing the realities of the problem.
"There's only a few things I really care about in life. My body. My pad. My ride. My family. My church. My boys. My girls. My porn."
What I wasn't fully expecting and what I'm glad he also hit on was that girls do the same thing to men by buying into the lies fed to us by rom-coms and the latest Nicholas Sparks movie.
For as long as I can remember I've felt annoyed by romantic movies. I've watched them, but if you've ever watched a romantic movie with me you already know I'm not the girl sitting there with tissues. I'm the one rolling my eyes and giggling at what is supposed to be a touching heartfelt line from boy to girl.
I've always thought those type of movies were unreal, just like porn.
And I really like real.
So I was pleasantly surprised and relieved watching Scarlett Johansons portrayal of "Barbara" a princess fed on romantic comedies vs JGL's incredibly man-whorish but lovable character and the havoc they wreaked on each other's lives. Especially since (spoiler alert) they don't end up together as would be typical in a romantic comedy.
I also liked that it detailed the dysfunction that was JGL's sex life. He would sleep with a beautiful woman, and then have to watch porn afterwards so that he could "lose himself" for a bit. Saying that fact? Wow. Just wow. I'm so glad that a man finally had the balls to say exactly what it does - A real woman is not enough anymore.
I also loved some of the more subtle details that he included that showed the objectification that happens. The main character repeatedly refers to Barbara as "the most beautiful thing he has ever seen." And in a scene where his father is talking about his mother, the father states "that's mine." It was subtle but I caught it.
I didn't expect the movie to give any eternal value, this isn't Christian media, but I was kinda enjoying the message that was ultimately given at the end of it, at least in how it relates to sexuality.
"If you want to lose yourself, you have to lose yourself in another person. It's a two-way thing."
This movie made me stop, think and question things in regards to relationships and sex. While I don't necessarily agree with the quote above as an end all - losing yourself in a person is not the answer to life's problems - I was glad that this movie did what I hoped it would which was showing the damages that porn does to a person and how it destroys relationships the way that they were intended to be.
All in all - great movie, don't watch it unless you have a high tolerance for dirty language and sexuality. And thanks JGL for saying it.
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