When I think about what makes a dark comedy enjoyable, I think about a movie that makes me laugh the same amount of times that it makes me uncomfortable. The idea that it's funny, but I am probably not a very good person for finding it that way. The Art of Self Defense does a great job at that, and while it doesn't always work, I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would.
Jesse Eisenberg plays Casey, a man who is meek and mild on his best of days. After being attacked and mugged by armed and masked assailants, his meekness becomes even worse. Fearing for his life at all turns, he joins a local Karate dojo to learn some self-esteem and self-defense. As he becomes more enamored with this dojo, he begins to befriend it's weird but charismatic sensei. A man who gets into his head and starts to manipulate his character into changing to be more masculine and manly. Listening to metal, talking crap at work, jabbing his boss in the throat for being too nice of a guy, plus studying german over french. You know, man stuff. It's when Casey is invited to the secretive night class, where he learns the darker secret to the dojo. As he delves deeper, Casey finds that all is not what it seems and that he may be in a lot more danger than first expected.
The Art of Self Defense is both a look at what it means to be masculine and the need for proper mental health. Casey is so easily manipulated and changed to the point where he becomes what he fears. The character falls into the societal norms of the male role, all while just trying to gain a way to defend himself. In trying to be stronger he passes the middle ground and uses his fear to become something worse. It's not all deep meanings, and toxic behavior as the movie eventually breaks down into a white guy kung fu revenge film, sans the kung fu. These parts, while not as good, still play into the overall story that this movie was telling.
The cast is great, and I find myself liking the Eisenberg Poots principal. The name I am forever calling the two of them after watching the pairing for two movies in a row. It's nice to see that Imogen Poots wasn't just here to be a love interest, but pointing out how little women are valued in the karate world we live in. The main character of Casey is written in such a way that you fear for him, even in withdrawn scenes of contemplation. The Art of Self Defense does a great job pulling you into a quiet but fearful state and then unleashing overly violent scenes. Those more violent moments stand out because of the thoughtful times that happened before. This adds an oomph to the violence as well. Plus, a lot of it either comes from desperation, or a place of power, which makes is just as scary.
The Art of Self Defense can be funny, violent, mean spirited, and sad. All these things make for good dark comedy. If that sounds like your karate cup of tea, you will enjoy this. Those who are not so much into weird and dark dialogue-based, but in the end, overly violent films, can probably steer clear.