Atom User Reviews for The Art of Self Defense
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.
Definitely caught me by surprise! Pretty good movie and funny definitely worth seeing if your a Jesse Eisenberg fan.
Cool!
The actors are much better than the film, and they still can’t save it.
A 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...
This 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.
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 seen but pretty darn close.
How 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.
Wacck
black comedy at its finest. dull and dry but darkly funny.
This was a unique experience. Not everyone will like it, but if the trailer told you it was something you'd be interested in then you probably will. Funny, dark, and clever.
ok so yeah a little predictable. but I have to say very entertaining. leave the kiddies at home for this one and get ready for a good couple giggle snorts.
Awkward as only JEisenberg can do it (& maybe Michael Cera)
Odd. Very dark and strange. It is like Napoleon Dynamite grew up and became sinister.
Dry funny and a bit scary at the same time
Metacritic
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.

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.

When the film works it veers into the domain of the uncomfortably hilarious as the maladjusted becomes a malcontent without a choice.
