The Art of Self-Defense — Review
This review was originally published on Cinemusings on July 15, 2019
Imagine if Yorgos Lanthimos directed Fight Club. That’s the vibe of Riley Stearns’ dark comedy The Art of Self-Defense. Despite the comparisons, The Art of Self-Defense still feels delightfully original. It’s a savage takedown of toxic masculinity that’s brimming with absurd humor.
Source: Bleecker Street
Jesse Eisenberg stars as the awkward and mild-mannered Casey Davies. His coworkers want nothing to do with him, he lives alone, and his only real friend is his dog. One night, Casey goes out to buy dog food and ends up hospitalized after being brutally attacked by a motorcycle gang.
Realizing that he needs to find a way to defend himself, he decides to buy a gun. During the waiting period to purchase the handgun, Casey stumbles upon a local karate dojo and becomes infatuated.
The most hardcore student at the dojo is Anna (Imogen Poots). She also happens to be the only woman in the class. To no one’s surprise, Anna has to work twice as hard to prove herself and doesn’t get the respect that she deserves.
The instructor’s name is Sensei (Alessandro Nivola) because that’s how blunt and quirky the screenplay is. Sensei takes a liking to Casey and tries to teach him how to be more masculine. Casey’s been studying French, but Sensei tells him to learn Russian or German instead. He also informs Casey that a dachshund isn’t as manly as a German Shepherd and that he should be listening to metal instead of adult contemporary music. When Sensei invites Casey to attend his mysterious night classes, things fly off the rails. The film was already full of black humor, but the story itself takes an unexpectedly dark turn.
Source: Bleecker Street
The blunt dialogue, deadpan delivery, and dry humor are evocative of Yorgos Lanthimos’ work. The offbeat tone, bizarre characters, and twisted narrative are reminiscent of something out of a Todd Solondz film. But The Art of Self-Defense somehow still manages to be unlike any movie out there. It is one of the most original films of the year.
The decision to have a protagonist like Casey works to the film’s advantage. Fight Club’s satirization of toxic masculinity was widely misunderstood by mainstream audiences, mainly because they saw Brad Pitt as the pinnacle of manliness. Between the plain-spoken dialogue and Jesse Eisenberg’s role as a timid every-man, it’s hard to miss the message of The Art of Self-Defense.
It’s audacious and hilarious, but the film’s unique brand of humor may not work for everyone. It dissects the timely topics of misogyny and toxic masculinity with biting satire that packs a powerful punch. The Art of Self-Defense is eccentric, absurd, and a fantastic sophomore effort for writer-director Riley Stearns.
The Art of Self-Defense received a limited release on July 12, 2019.
