By Charles Salom | Staff Writer
Marty Supreme follows a young man named Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) who will stop at nothing to achieve his dream of becoming the greatest ping-pong player. Along the way, Mauser realizes that this goal will be more difficult to achieve than he expected.
The only way to describe Marty Supreme is as Pure, unadulterated Kinetic energy with every bounce of the ping pong ball and his knuckle-headed scheme to make some cash. It’s impossible to watch Marty Supreme without a surge of adrenaline shaking your entire body, and the transcendent filmmaking on display felt like an out-of-body experience.
Director Josh Safdie has crafted the definitive sports movie of my generation, an underdog story ready to rival Rocky. But instead of the Italian stallion running through the streets of chilly Philadelphia, it’s Marty Mauser finessing and running his mouth through 1950s New York.
One might call Marty a con artist, a poser, a faker, but there is no doubt in Marty Mauser’s words—every word is spoken with a confidence as if it comes deep from his chest cavity, designed to shake your ears with the sound of assuredness.
Marty Supreme explores the cost of greatness, a price few are willing to pay, but Marty is deeply in debt. It’s like he came into the world with, as he puts it, “an obligation to see a very specific thing through.”
Obsessed with productivity, Gen-Z has established “hustle culture” as a mainstream way of life.
Seemingly, Marty Supreme asserts this generational belief in work and productivity above all else. But what it actually showcases is an exploration of early adulthood masculinity and how that can manifest in a toxic obsession.
Safdie took the neurotic crime drama elements he and his brother Benny Safdie perfected in ‘Uncut Gems’ as his embryo, then fertilized it using a sperm the size of a bright orange ping pong ball. (Viewers of the film will understand the reference)
Despite its rapid pace, Safdie and screenwriter Ronald Bronstein also include heart and comedy that help the darker insanity go down much easier.
Josh Safdie and Timothée Chalamet on the set of Marty Supreme (Courtesy of Atsushi Nishijima)
In a brilliant display of unconventional direction, the film favors close-ups in most shots when ping-pong isn’t being played. This proximity only heightens the film’s intensity and panic.
Along the way, Mauser pulls friends and bystanders into his world of obsession, with the supporting cast consisting of stars and entertainers new to acting.
Kay Stone (Gwenyth Paltrow) is a famous actress who is charmed by Marty. Along with Kay, her husband, Norman Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary), is a millionaire magnate whom Marty begs for a big sponsorship. Paltrow returned from early semi-retirement, and she couldn’t have chosen a better project. O’Leary makes his acting debut but is best known as a real-life multimillionaire. It’s surprising to see that he holds his own in scenes with Chalamet, despite essentially playing himself.
Other notable characters include Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion) and Wally (Tyler Okonma), who serve as Marty’s lover and best friend, respectively. All performances in the film are adequate but primarily contribute to the chaos of Marty’s tunnel vision, rather than developing a clear arc for the supporting characters.
The purpose of Marty Supreme will be lost on many viewers, as the film markets itself with the biggest young star in Hollywood going for it all in this ping-pong epic. When in reality, Marty Supreme is here to remind us what really matters in life.
The final scene of the film is among the most moving of the year, when the breakneck pace and exhaustion of this insatiable young man are finally quelled not by a grand victory but by a realization that his obsessions do not define his purpose or self-worth.
Marty Supreme hits theaters this Christmas Day and is easily one of the best films of the year.
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