The Art of Self Defense
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Videos & Photos
- Official Trailer (01:11)
- Teaser 1 (01:12)
Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
A man is attacked at random on the street. Enlists at a local dojo, led by a charismatic and mysterious Sensei, in an effort to learn how to defend himself.
Cast
- Jesse Eisenberg
- Alessandro Nivola
- Imogen Poots
- Steve Terada
- David Zellner
- Phillip Andre Botello
- Jason Burkey
- Mike Brooks
- C.J. Rush
- Davey Johnson
Letterboxd User Reviews
3.6
124.1K
27.8K
33.6K
- Jul 23, 2019
bro, it’s not gay if it’s karate
LucyJul 23, 2019Grandmaster punched a hole in their heads with his index finger. An expert move. And an expert setup. This movie is peak Jesse Eisenberg casting and I'm glad we're not pretending he's a charming lead anymore.
Georgia ColeyAug 7, 2019our unborn son punched (with his feet) throughout the entirety of this movie. i can think of no higher or more distressing endorsement. also, Poots.
davidehrlich - Jan 21, 2022
“We should do push ups.” Just stellar. Wanted to rewatch this to show it to Cheyenne in advance of seeing Riley’s follow-up film tonight. She has a very goofy photo of me absolutely cheesing at the screen, simultaneously enjoying this and remembering the delight of…
demi adejuyigbeJul 10, 2019I took martial arts for ten years and it really do be like that sometimes
Sara ClementsJul 21, 2019Bitingly funny in its satirical, monotone, dry delivery; my theater didn't get the humor and I was one of the only ones laughing, but this feels like a dark, bizzaro mix of Wes Anderson, Napoleon Dynamite, and Yorgos Lanthimos. Unlike other "sterile" films where the dryness…
Georgia Coley - Aug 5, 2019
It's literally Fight Club, but like, with karate.
johnJul 11, 2019AKA The Karate Man-Child.
Matt SingerJul 23, 2019The homoeroticism REALLY jumped out with this one!!! Men really do be creating intricate rituals which allow them to touch the skin of other men. I surprise-laughed so many times during this movie. What a weird, weird film. Probably one of the best dark comedies I’ve seen…
🌻 lindsay 🌻
Queue Community Reviews
84%
Community 1,463
Top Reviews
- Luis Carbajal dislikedThe Art of Self-Defense
This movie was just really lackluster for me. The vibe of the entire movie is really dark and depressing and never really picks up from a slow pace. 3/10 See full review: https://boxd.it/479Jin
Will Eplion lovedThe Art of Self-DefenseFight club if it was good - my good friend Jacob
The One likedThe Art of Self-DefenseAmazing movie. Just rewatched it for the 3rd time and it’s still fantastic. Jessie Eisenberg played Casey perfectly and even though the movie was goofy at times it still managed to retain the message it was trying to convey. I couldn’t recommend it enough…. this IS a must watch!!
- Aidan White lovedThe Art of Self-Defense
9.1/10 this movie actually made me laugh the hardest i’ve laughed in a while - might maybe be the most jessie eisenberg thing i’ve ever seen the humor is so dry and awkward but i love it so much - satire lands so well and the humor almost reminds me of the office a little bit
Kiran Patel likedThe Art of Self-DefenseGotta love Jesse. You believe he’s this character with low self esteem and just needs some confidence. The movie was predictable as I knew “The who done it” part. There were some parts regarding character development that I thought was done really well. Check it out. 7/10.
Jacob Hall lovedThe Art of Self-DefenseOne of the weirdest movies I've ever seen, but in a good way. Nivola is hilarious in every scene he's in. Poots gives a great dramatic performance. Eisenberg does what he does best and is awkward. Lots of awkward silences
- Kira likedThe Art of Self-Defense
this movie has everything going for it to me. i was genuinely laughing the whole movie and at no point could I guess what was gonna happen next. very sarcastic and dry humor which I love. audibly gasped multiple times.
alessandro lovedThe Art of Self-DefensePoh genial kk a evolução do personagem ao longo do filme de sua autoconfiança. Confesso que me pegou a cena da luta “sem” arma lkkk e nem tinha passado na minha cabeça o desfecho daql golpe secreto kkk me pegou muito.
Madeline Spethman likedThe Art of Self-Defense6.3/10 the story line is well crafted and Jesse Eisenberg's performance was spot on and he was really convincing. The dark humor of the movie was very effective and really held up well throughout the entire film
Atom Users Reviews
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Reviews
- CWcallie wiley
This movie is not for everyone. It did make me feel a wide range of emotions which is a positive. You must like dark humor to enjoy this movie. The cast really sells it.
JFJoseph FourreauxDefinitely caught me by surprise! Pretty good movie and funny definitely worth seeing if your a Jesse Eisenberg fan.
RRRoman RomanCool!
- JSJim Stirbis
The actors are much better than the film, and they still can’t save it.
DCdean curlingA movie that thinks it’s being hip and clever, but in reality is obvious, tedious and smug. Offers transparent, biased moralizing more than insightful observations. This only cost me a dollar out of pocket and I’d really like the dollar back...
DKDaniek KovatchThis film played out like a film I saw last year. It had a quirky first hour, and then it went fairly off the rails for the last third. Overall, I did have a good time with this one.
- DWDavid Webster
OMG this movie was so bad I’d like to get my time and money back. I can’t even believe they put this in a theater. I guess it’s a slow week for new releases but I’m just sitting here shaking my head in disbelief it this movie. I have to say not the worst movie I’ve ever…
DBDavid BalsitisHow anybody gave this more than one star is baffling. Absolutely worst movie I've seen in a couple decades. Unbelievably stupid, wasted a part of my life tonight.
HHhenrey713 henrey713Wacck
Metacritic
Jul 18, 2019
The film’s calm brutality is effective. Plot-wise, some punches are telegraphed, while others are not. The satire is a spinning wheel kick I didn’t see coming. Black belts all around.
Brad Wheeler
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Jul 9, 2019
Director and writer Riley Stearns’ mediocre comedy aims to be a roundhouse kick at traditional masculinity, but doesn’t manage to take it down in any deep or insightful way.
Johnny Oleksinski
New York Post
Mar 18, 2019
When the film works it veers into the domain of the uncomfortably hilarious as the maladjusted becomes a malcontent without a choice.
John Fink
The Film Stage
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Art of Self Defense (2019) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is The Art of Self Defense (2019)?
The movie is 1hr 44min long.
What's The Art of Self Defense (2019) about?
A man is attacked at random on the street. Enlists at a local dojo, led by a charismatic and mysterious Sensei, in an effort to learn how to defend himself.
Who's the cast of The Art of Self Defense (2019)?
- Jesse Eisenberg as Casey
- Alessandro Nivola as Sensei
- Imogen Poots as Anna
- Steve Terada as Thomas
- David Zellner as Henry
- Phillip Andre Botello as Kennith
- Jason Burkey as Alex
- Mike Brooks as Steve
- C.J. Rush as Other Steve
- Davey Johnson as Gun Store Owner
Who's the director behind The Art of Self Defense (2019)?
Riley Stearns directed The Art of Self Defense (2019).
Who produced The Art of Self Defense (2019)?
Camille Bertrand, Lisa Ciuffetti and Andrew Karpen produced The Art of Self Defense (2019).
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