Jesse Eisenberg's 'Art Of Self-Defense' Is No Motivational Sports Montage
Eisenberg stars as a stunted young man who seeks out martial arts lessons in Riley Stearns' dark comedy about toxic masculinity. And you won't find him running the steps of Philadelphia's art museum.
Jesse Eisenberg built his career playing quick-witted intellectuals — but he gets more physical in his new movie, The Art of Self-Defense. The film, written and directed by Riley Stearns, stars Eisenberg as Casey Davies, a socially stunted man who seeks out a martial arts class-turned-cult after getting mugged.
"It's like a twisted sports movie," Eisenberg explains — Casey sets out to better himself and it works out terribly. Unlike the beloved Eisenberg says, Casey's version of confidence-building "is punching his boss in the throat rather than, like, running up the stairs of the Philadelphia art museum."
