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The Art of Self-Defense (2019)

ComedyThrillerDramaMystery

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.

Release Date
July 12, 2019
Runtime
1h 44m
Rating
6.6/10 (829 votes)

Director: Riley Stearns

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots, Steve Terada, David Zellner, Phillip Andre Botello, Jason Burkey, Mike Brooks

Production: End Cue
martial artssportspsychopathdark comedykaratecrematoriumsexismcultsatiremurder
IMDbOfficial Site
Budget
$2M
Revenue
$2M
Full Cast (26 people)

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Reviews

SWITCH. - 8/10

‘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-satire-as-pitch-black-as-a-karate-belt

September 8, 2019

Gimly - 5/10

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 Eisenberg as an awkward, meek nerd, who at the very end would go uber-violent, and the joke that they ...

January 17, 2020

The Art of Self-Defense

The Art of Self-Defense

6.6
104 min

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.

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Production Info
StatusReleased
Original LanguageEnglish
Revenue$2,400,000
Release Date7/12/2019
Director & Writers

Directed by

Written by

Produced by

,

Production Companies

Production Countries

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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

MB

Mike Brooks

as Steve

More from Riley Stearns

Images

The Art of Self-Defense poster
Poster
The Art of Self-Defense backdrop
Backdrop

Videos

Punch with Your Foot

Clip

Really Glad You're Here

Clip

You Came to the Right Place

Clip

Sensei

Clip

Special Belts

Clip

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Art of Self-Defense about?

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 fr…

How long is The Art of Self-Defense?

1h 44m

When was The Art of Self-Defense released?

July 12, 2019

Who directed The Art of Self-Defense?

Riley Stearns

Who stars in The Art of Self-Defense?

Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots

What genre is The Art of Self-Defense?

Comedy, Thriller, Drama, Mystery