The Art of Self Defense

         Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, and Imogen Poots star in this very black comedy. Black to the point it stops being funny and descends into very dark territory.

        Mr. Eisenberg is Casey, a meek account who lives alone with his dachshund. One night while going out for dog food, he is brutally mugged. While recovering, he passes a Karate Dojo and  decides to sign up for classes. Mr. Nivola plays the Sensei who attempts to "make a man" out of Casey through Karate and his own warped life lessons. Ms. Poots plays another student, already advanced to Brown Belt and teaching a children's class.

         The film is written and directed by Riley Steams, who certainly has an original vision. It's deliberately set in an unnamed city during an unnamed time period (probably the '80s)  and contains only three principle locations. The focus is completely on Casey and his "transformation". The viewing experience is like watching a bad accident. You know you should turn away but you can't help yourself. To his credit, Mr. Steams finds a way to keep you engaged even while the story makes you squirm and keeps you off kilter.

         What comedy exists in the film is uncomfortable and cringe worthy. The film gets darker as it goes and offers  little in the way of redemption, except for a glimmer of hope at the end.