Feeling completely powerless as a result, he searches for a way to rid himself of his fear, and in doing so discovers a hobby that ultimately becomes an obsession: karate.
The second film from Riley Stearns, The Art Of Self-Defense centers on a timid accountant (Jesse Eisenberg) who becomes the victim of a savage attack while out one night running an errand.
He quickly becomes a favorite of the sensei at the local dojo (Alessandro Nivola), but slowly begins to discover that there is more to the community than classes than learning about punching, kicking, and blocking.