The Art of Self-Defense: Can Karate Cure Loneliness in a Hyper-masculine World?
By José Alberto Hermosillo
“The Art of Self-Defense” is a hilarious and quirky dark comedy you don’t want to miss. It’s one of the best independent films of the year! The remarkable cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, and Imogen Poots, all of whom deliver extraordinary performances.
Not long ago, Meryl Streep claimed there is no art in football and mixed martial arts. Many people worldwide disagree - not even Casey (Jessie Eisenberg), who starts taking karate lessons after a random violent attack.
The Art of Self-Defense Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street Media
By immersing himself in this shadowy world of martial arts, Casey will aim to build self-confidence, strength, and a more masculine personality.
At the dojo, he is greeted by Anna (Imogen Poots). She is a confident, young, yet somewhat isolated karate instructor. As a woman, she is herded into teaching kids in the mornings instead of competing in evening matches against men. Those fights could bring her closer to achieving her well-deserved black belt.
The Art of Self-Defense Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street Media
The grandmaster is Sensei (Alessandro Nivola). His strange and magnetic personality makes him appear lifelike. He wants to be in control. His captivating charm draws Casey into his business, which offers mind-and-body training.
When actor Alessandro Nivola read Riley Sterns’ great script, he thought it was original, intricate, and somehow controversial. Those are the key ingredients for an independent film to succeed. In the screenplay, he saw the importance of emphasizing the dialogue with personal tones.
The Art of Self-Defense Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street Media
Nivola was worried about learning karate in four days instead of focusing on incorporating complicated long sentences into his part. During the shoot, Nivola took a deep breath, knew his lines, and delivered them as well as he could. Nivola is terrific playing a low-key psycho.
“Kick with your fist, punch with your feet.”
“Karate is a way of communicating.”
“Never hold back; it makes you weak.”
Sensei is a master at manipulation. He crafts a sinister plan to maintain his reputation and succeed in his martial arts school business.
Alessandro Nivola. Photo: José Alberto Hermosillo
Alessandro Nivola accents his character to make it more realistic. Sensei enjoys playing God with subtle cruelty, controlling his kingdom and minions, much like Ed Harris in “The Truman Show” (1998). A performance that earned Harris an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor that year.
In “The Art of Self-Defense,” director Riley Stearns explores “male loneliness” with depth and elevates his actors’ performances. Christian Bale in “The Machinist” delivers a similar interpretation to Jack Plotnick in the film called “Wrong” by Quentin Dupieux.
Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of the lonely character is perceptive. His impotence and frustrations come across in every action. His passive-aggressive personality intensifies until he becomes the person he aims to be.
In “The Art of Self-Defense,” Jesse Eisenberg isn’t a “Rocky,” but he can put on a good show.
The main point of this movie is to see how the behavior of a powerful, dominant character influences everyone, and how the rest of the group might eventually fight back.
In a tough world, we have to make the best of it. After watching “The Art of Self-Defense,” you might think twice about signing up for some great karate lessons to protect yourself.
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