| Credited cast: | |||
| Jesse Eisenberg | ... | Casey | |
| Alessandro Nivola | ... | Sensei | |
| Imogen Poots | ... | Anna | |
| Steve Terada | ... | Thomas | |
| Phillip Andre Botello | ... | Kennith | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Caroline Amiguet | ... | French Audio Instructor (voice) | |
| Apollo Bacala | ... | Karate Day Class Student | |
| Hauke Bahr | ... | Grant | |
| Jason Burkey | ... | Alex | |
| Justin Eaton | ... | Lone Man | |
| Dallas Edwards | ... | Manny | |
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|
Will Ellis Jr. | ... | Night Class Student |
| Josh Fadem | ... | Serial Killer | |
| John French | ... | Office Worker | |
|
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Darren Gaebel | ... | Karate Night Class Student |
After he's attacked on the street at night by a roving motorcycle gang, timid bookkeeper Casey (Jesse Eisenberg) joins a neighborhood karate studio to learn how to protect himself. Under the watchful eye of a charismatic instructor, Sensei (Alessandro Nivola), and hardcore brown belt Anna (Imogen Poots), Casey gains a newfound sense of confidence for the first time in his life. But when he attends Sensei's mysterious night classes, he discovers a sinister world of fraternity, brutality and hyper-masculinity, presenting a journey that places him squarely in the sights of his enigmatic new mentor. Written by Bleecker Street
I saw this gem at a recent film festival. This is why I go to see movies - something original, something "real," and something important. I didn't find it preachy at all, actually I thought it got it's point across in the best way possible - by being funny and entertaining. The movie starts off by grabbing your attention with how weak of a character Casey is, and how cruel his world is. His world is unrealistically desolate and lonely. But the way he rises out of it is why the movie goes from boring Wes Anderson fantasy to kick-ass Fight Club absurdity. Yes, there are absurd moments but they are completely consistent with the theme of the movie. A theme that needs to be shown again and again in cinema. I won't explicitly state it, but it is the reason this movie goes from average to great, albeit 45 minutes in. A little more gruesome than I'm used to, but I still enjoyed it.