Movie Review: The Art Of Self Defense (2019)

The Art of Self Defense is a black comedy I saw while attending the Edinburgh International Film Festival back in June of this year. Due to a fairly uninspiring premise, Jesse Eisenberg learns Karate, I nearly didn’t bother with it at all, but sometimes, it pays to take a chance, and to my surprise, The Art of Self Defense turned out to be one of the best films I saw at this year's festival.

My simple explanation of the film’s premise, whilst accurate, doesn’t give it the justice it deserves; so lets flesh it out a little. Jesse Eisenberg, whom I once heard described as a poor man’s Michael Cera (harsh?), plays Casey Davies, a timid accountant living in a sleepy American town. He doesn’t fit in with his alpha male work colleagues and seemingly has no friends other than his beloved dachshund and over-friendly boss. We watch him during a typical day as his dull and embarrassing everyday life plays out, learning of his love of France and his hope to one day travel there, before following him on a routine evening trip to the grocery store to pick up dog food. Unfortunately for Casey, on his way home, he’s followed, chased down and brutally assaulted by a motorcycle gang which leaves him physically and emotionally scarred.

Following the assault, he takes some time off from work and stumbles upon a self-defence class led by a charismatic sensei played by Alessandro Nivola. During his extended work sabbatical, Casey is trained by Sensei in Karate but most importantly he’s taught how to be a “real” man. Forget learning French, that’s for pussies - German is a proper man’s language. What about music? Extreme Metal or nothing. Pets? A German Shepherd of course. Throughout the training Sensei teaches Casey to stand up for himself, believe in himself and assert his dominance over others and eventually, he is invited to attend the coveted “night class” where the story takes a darker turn…

Eisenberg, with his solid track record of playing awkward dorks (Zombieland) and confident nerds (The Social Network), is excellent in his role as the weedy introvert transitioning into an assertive dominant male. Nivola as the toxically masculine Sensei steals the show, however, putting in a terrifically over the top yet straight-faced performance. I was also delighted to discover that his filmography includes Pollux Troy in Face/Off - one of the greatest action films of all time. Unfortunately, he also played Billy Brennan in Jurassic Park III...enough said.

There’s also a solid supporting cast: Casey’s bro colleagues are memorable douchebags, there’s a colourful cast of eager black belt hopefuls and you can’t help but feel sorry for Casey’s overly accommodating boss. Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later) stands out in particular as Anna, the only female trainee, bitter that her progress through the ranks has stalled, and David Zellner puts in a memorable performance as Henry, Casey’s first friend at the dojo, eager for a chance to join the mysterious “night class”.

The Art of Self Defense is a very funny film poking fun at the most ridiculous aspects of masculinity and what it supposedly means to be a man. There are ludicrous scenes, for example, where Casey “invents” a casual coloured belt that can be worn at any time so members of the dojo can always wear their colours. You know, a black belt you can wear any time you want… This ridiculousness is ramped up by the straight-faced performances of the entire cast. The characters all take themselves way too seriously in spite of what’s happening or what’s said on screen and it’s a big part of why the film succeeds where a zanier alternative take might have failed.

It’s not all hilarity, though. There are plenty of extreme twists and turns that keep things engaging with the film taking an especially dark turn through the second and third acts. There are some incredibly bleak scenes - one, in particular, will be too much for some - and several serious beatings both in and out of the dojo. They’re very graphic and, if you’ll forgive the pun, don’t pull any punches.

Overall it’s an intense ride that’s equally as uncomfortable and distressing as it is fun and hilarious and as a result, The Art of Self Defense has considerably more depth than you’d expect from just a “Jesse Eisenberg learns Karate” film. Oh, and there’s nothing quite like sitting in a cinema where an unsuspecting audience is forced to listen to bursts of Full of Hell. A future cult classic.

Currently, there is no UK release date for The Art of Self Defence, which is a real shame, but perhaps also a blessing. Films that aren’t based on a Marvel / Disney property or don’t feature scary dolls or clowns, typically bomb in theatres. Keep a close eye on streaming services for this one.

Peace.