The Art of Self-Defense

The Art of Self-Defense, in the US on Kanopy and Hoopla, does something a lot of comedies forget to: it's consistently funny. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Jesse Eisenberg leads a cast with real comic timing. Start it on Kanopy whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The Art of Self-Defense earns its spot. The Art of Self-Defense does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. 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. Jesse Eisenberg and Alessandro Nivola lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It was released in 2019. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and The Art of Self-Defense holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, The Art of Self-Defense respects your intelligence. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Jesse Eisenberg sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.

The Art of Self-Defense was released in 2019, directed by Riley Stearns. The full 104-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.