The Art of Self-Defense

6.5

2019

1h 44m

ComedyThrillerDramaMystery

Overview

Casey is attacked at random on the street and enlists in a local dojo led by a charismatic and mysterious Sensei in an effort to learn how to defend himself. What he uncovers is a sinister world of fraternity, violence and hypermasculinity and a woman fighting for her place in it.

Trailer

Official Trailer Official

Cast

Casey

Jesse Eisenberg

Casey

Sensei

Alessandro Nivola

Sensei

Anna

Imogen Poots

Anna

Thomas

Steve Terada

Thomas

Henry

David Zellner

Henry

Kennith

Phillip Andre Botello

Kennith

Alex

Jason Burkey

Alex

Steve

Mike Brooks

Steve

Other Steve

C.J. Rush

Other Steve

Gun Store Owner

Davey Johnson

Gun Store Owner

Grant

Hauke Bahr

Grant

Bakery Woman

Katherine Martin

Bakery Woman

Reviews

SWITCH.

‘The Art of Self-Defense’ is a truly funny, dark experience that will polarise audiences, hopefully leaving most of them satisfied. Just try not to think about it too much. - Ashley Teresa Read Ashley's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-the-art-of-self-defense-a-satire-as-pitch-black-as-a-karate-belt

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Gimly

I went in expecting mumblecore, but got more of a Wes Anderson (which, to be fair, a primary influence of mumblecore). Wes Anderson almost always has violence in his movies, but probably nothing so brutal as _The Art of Self-Defense_. I thought that the whole movie would essentially be setting up Eisenberg as an awkward, meek nerd, who at the very end would go uber-violent, and the joke that they bothered to make a movie for would essentially be "You didn't think this guy would punch very good but then he does". Happy to say, I was wrong. Not only does Eisenberg punch pretty good on actually more than one occasion, there's also a story in _The Art of Self-Defense_ as well, which I was not expecting. Now I still didn't think it was very good, and I definitely didn't think it was very funny, but my very low expectations were exceeded, so in the end I'm actually moderately happy with this one. _Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole._

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