The Art of Self-Defense

Casey is attacked at random on the street and enlists in a local dojo led by a charismatic and mysterious Sensei in an effort to learn how to defend himself. What he uncovers is a sinister world of fraternity, violence and hypermasculinity and a woman fighting for her place in it.

Cast

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

Reviews

SWITCH.

‘The Art of Self-Defense’ is a truly funny, dark experience that will polarise audiences, hopefully leaving most of them satisfied. Just try not to think about it too much. - Ashley Teresa Read Ashley's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-the-art-of-self-defense-a-sa...

Gimly

I went in expecting mumblecore, but got more of a Wes Anderson (which, to be fair, a primary influence of mumblecore). Wes Anderson almost always has violence in his movies, but probably nothing so brutal as _The Art of Self-Defense_. I thought that the whole movie would essentially be setting up Ei...

Similar Movies

See You in Montevideo

A football team from Belgrade, former Republic of Yugoslavia gets a chance to go to the First World Football Championship, but things get complicated along the way.

⭐ 7.1

Flying Lessons

Two estranged adopted sisters are forced together by their mother's sudden death: Beatrice, an autistic Chinese high school senior who wants to learn to fly, and Talia, a queer black musician who never wanted custody of Beatrice in the first place. Starring the autistic actress the story is based on, the film blurs narrative and documentary styles and showcases a unique and underrepresented perspective on death and grief.

⭐ 10.0

Scream 7

The seventh installment in the 'Scream' franchise. Plot TBA.

⭐ 0.0

Amores Perros

A fatalistic car crash in Mexico city sets off a chain of events in the lives of three people: a supermodel, a young man wanting to run off with his sister-in-law, and a homeless man. Their lives are catapulted into unforeseen situations instigated by the seemingly inconsequential destiny of a dog.

⭐ 7.6

Brazil

Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry escapes the monotony of his day-to-day life through a recurring daydream of himself as a virtuous hero saving a beautiful damsel. Investigating a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle, he meets the woman from his daydream, and in trying to help her gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies.

⭐ 7.7

Million Dollar Baby

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

⭐ 8.0

Mars Attacks!

A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world's major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, "come in peace." U.S. President James Dale receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler that the Martians' mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.

⭐ 6.4

Memento

Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.

⭐ 8.2

Hero

During China's Warring States period, a district prefect arrives at the palace of Qin Shi Huang, claiming to have killed the three assassins who had made an attempt on the king's life three years ago.

⭐ 7.5

Léon: The Professional

Léon, the top hit man in New York, has earned a rep as an effective "cleaner". But when his next-door neighbors are wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, he becomes the unwilling custodian of 12-year-old Mathilda. Before long, Mathilda's thoughts turn to revenge, and she considers following in Léon's footsteps.

⭐ 8.3

Jean Fell in Love

Jean, 18 years old, is the prodigy heeler of his village rugby club. While his team is defending its title, he falls madly in love with Ayoub, a player from the opposing team. The brotherly relationship he has with his teammates turns out to be more fragile than he thought.

⭐ 2.0

My Neighbor Wants Me Dead

The Tenant continuously fails to escape his deadly apartment within a 5 minute time limit as his blood-thirsty neighbor threatens him from behind the front door

⭐ 6.2

Dream Journey 4: Biography of the Demon

On their journey to the west, Tang Seng and Sun Wukong have a falling out and set out a challenge for each other. Sun Wukong agrees to give Tang Seng his magical powers in exchange for Tang Seng's appearance and learning. The challenge they set is to bypass the Seven Spider Sisters and defeat the Hundred-eyed Demon Lord within seven days. After the swap, who will have the determination and wit to win this challenge?

⭐ 6.5

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

A desperate socialite seeks her missing husband, troubled by bad investments and debts, with help from a private eye and the high-priced call girl hubby had been seeing.

⭐ 3.3

When the Love is Gone

When the Love Is Gone is a 2013 Filipino romantic drama film directed by Andoy Ranay, starring Cristine Reyes, Gabby Concepcion, Alice Dixson, Andi Eigenmann, and Jake Cuenca. The film is distributed by Viva Films with co-production of Multivision Pictures and was released November 27, 2013 nationwide as part of Viva Films' 32nd anniversary. The movie is a remake of the 1983 blockbuster movie directed by Danny Zialcita entitled Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi which stars Dindo Fernando, Gloria Diaz, Laurice Guillen, and Eddie Garcia.

⭐ 4.3

The Revenge of the Woman in Black

A psychotic man and an obsessed police officer make life unbearable for an unlucky actor by making him the scapegoat for a string of kidnappings.

⭐ 4.5

Hangout

After nine celebrities accept an invitation to visit a remote island, they find themselves trapped with a mysterious killer hunting them down.

⭐ 7.3

The Sea Hornet

"The Sea Hornet" was a merchant ship sunk, supposedly by a torpedo, less than a mile off the California Coast during World War Two. Six years later when his buddy is killed, attempting to blow up the sunken ship, on the orders of Suntan Radford and Tony Sullivan, deep-sea diver "Gunner" McNeil has his suspicions aroused... especially since Suntan is the daughter of the ship's captain that died when the ship sunk, and Sullivan was a crew member. Plus the fact the ship had over a million dollars in cash on board. During the course of his investigation, he becomes romantically involved with Ginger Sullivan

⭐ 5.0

In the Blood

When her husband goes missing during their Caribbean vacation, a woman sets off on her own to take down the men she thinks are responsible.

⭐ 5.8

End Trip

On a calm night in an average city a hardworking URYDE driver, Brandon, picks up just another fare, Judd. Using interactions that blur the lines between the technological world and the physical one, Judd explains a messy breakup. Brandon offers an empathetic ear and a sympathetic heart to his new friend to help him pick up the pieces. Aggregated profiles, algorithms, links, likes and comments bring people closer. But how close is too close?

⭐ 5.3