The Art of Self Defense is a dark comedy directed by Riley Stearns, set in the middle of America with characters that seem mediocre on the surface, but are extremely eccentric once we get to know them. Jesse Eisenberg comes off as a boring accountant, Casey Davies, who has a mild-mannered dog as his primary companion and an overall lack of excitement for life until he is brutally attacked by a motorcycle gang. Being physically and emotionally scarred from this experience, he finds himself becoming immersed in karate classes, hosted by the ultra-masculine sensei played by Alessandro Nivola. The sensei encourages him to carry on with the classes by placing him on a pedestal for his efforts and with the motivation of the only female classmate, Anna, who is played by Imogen Poots. The more intimate Casey becomes with this group of people, the more disturbing the reality of his situation becomes.
- 8/16/2019
- by Juliet Poucher
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
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