Gayle On Film: 'The Secret Art of Self Defense'
The Secret Art of Self Defense
A darkly humorous take on toxic masculinity, The Art of Self Defense is quirky and worth some of your time. Jesse Eisenberg is Casey Davies and he is THAT guy. The one who's the oddball at work, not always invited into conversations nor welcomed to the lunch table in the break room.
After suffering a brutal attack, the mild-mannered accountant enrolls in a karate class with a master instructor who wants to toughen him and all the other students up in ways that go way beyond the teacher/student appropriateness line. He thinks Casey's name and dog are too feminine, but hey, at least he's not a girl! Sometimes comedically sharp and in some places overly ponderous, it's definitely something one can appreciate if they want to get their fight club on, 21st-century style.