Jul. 12, 2019|United States|104 Min.|R
Genre: Action;Comedy;Drama;Thriller
Description: Casey Davies, played by Jesse Eisenberg, is a shy and socially awkward accountant. One evening, he is attacked by a masked motorcycle gang that has been terrorizing the city. While recovering, Casey considers buying a gun for protection but instead stumbles upon a karate dojo led by the charismatic and mysterious “Sensei,” portrayed by Alessandro Nivola. After attending a trial class, Casey decides to enroll in regular lessons rather than purchasing a firearm.
At the dojo, Casey meets Anna, a brown belt and the only female student, and Henry, a friendly blue belt. Henry reveals that Sensei offers an exclusive night class for select students. Casey’s dedication impresses Sensei, who promotes him to a yellow belt. Meanwhile, Anna is denied a promotion to black belt, which is given to another student. During a ceremony, Sensei recounts the story of the dojo’s late grandmaster, who allegedly killed three other grandmasters using a secret technique involving a finger strike to the skull.
Sensei pushes Casey to embrace a more “masculine” demeanor. Casey’s newfound aggression leads him to punch his boss, resulting in his dismissal from work. Sensei invites Casey to the brutal night classes but excludes Henry, who attends uninvited. As punishment, Sensei breaks Henry’s elbow and expels him from the dojo. In a sparring match, Anna defeats Thomas, the newly promoted black belt, to prove her skill despite Sensei’s bias against her gender.
Later, Sensei hires Casey as the dojo’s accountant and informs him that one of the gang members who attacked him is at a bar. Sensei encourages Casey to confront the man, further testing his resolve.
Cast director: Riley Stearns
Cast actor: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots, Steve Terada, David Zellner, Phillip Andre Botello, Jason Burkey, Hauke Bahr, Dallas Edwards, Mike Brooks
Original name: The Art of Self-Defense