The Art of Self-Defense
ComedyThriller
Casey is attacked at random on the street and enlists in a local dojo led by a charismatic and mysterious Sensei in an effort to learn how to defend himself. What he uncovers is a sinister world of fraternity, violence and hypermasculinity and a woman fighting for her place in it.
VIBE
This film feels like a disquieting, deadpan descent into an absurd world of hypermasculinity and self-improvement gone horribly awry. It's a darkly comedic and unsettling satire, blending indie thriller tension with a unique, stylized aesthetic. Expect a steady, thought-provoking exploration of identity and conformity that's both funny and deeply uncomfortable.
darkly comedicunsettlingdeadpansatiricalabsurdisttensesteadydeadpan comedyindie thrillerstylized violenceabsurdist realismtoxic masculinityidentityconformityviolencesatire
martial artssportspsychopathdark comedykaratecrematoriumsexismcultsatiremurderdojomotorcycle gangdoggerman shepherdmisogynymuggingdeath of petblack belt
