Yes, I think he is. Every movie he's in has been good, imo. This one was a surprisingly interesting, disturbing entrance into the world of martial arts and real emotions. I did not know what this movie was about before seeing it and didn't expect too much. But thought since Jesse Eisenberg was in it, it would not be a total waste of time. Wow, I was surprised at the dramatic excellence of this film and the very good portrayals of the various characters. Yes, it's about martial arts but it's also a lot more than that as Jesse's character moves through his life and makes some changes that are good and end up pretty dark.
Review of The Art of Self-Defense
