The new movie, "Redbelt," is not the kind of martial arts film you might expect from its title. Instead, it's a morality tale from writer-director David Mamet, who's best known for edgy dialog and serious drama.

"Redbelt" is Mamet's tenth movie as a writer-director, and it features the smart, clipped dialog he's famous for..... as well as a familiar storyline about an idealist who's exploited by con men.

Chiwetel Ejiorfor plays Mike Terry, a jiu-jitsu instructor who runs a small studio in a poor L.A. neighborhood. Mike shuns martial arts competitions, saying he teaches people to "prevail" not to fight. But his reluctance to do what it takes to make money is not going over with his wife.

"My father made money; my brothers made money," she tells him, "and you somehow are too pure."

Things look up for awhile after Mike rescues a movie star played by Tim Allen who's about to get badly hurt in a bar fight. Allen's character invites him to dinner and hires him as a co-producer on his martial arts film.

"Booze, women. What in this life doesn't get you in trouble?" the movie star says, sipping a cocktail.

"Turn to the side," Mike says. "Everything has a force. Embrace it or deflect it? Why oppose it?"

But one betrayal after another gets Mike into a situation where he has to work with a corrupt martial arts promoter played by Mamet regular Rickey Jay who will say or do anything to sell a tickets to a fight.

And then there's the always interesting Emily Mortimer as a lawyer who creates even more complications for Mike.

"Redbelt" ends with a fight scene, but a "Rocky" type movie, this is not. In fact, the climax is the weakest part of an otherwise compelling movie.

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