Reviews
Marty Supreme
A 150 minute movie about a ping pong player might sound like a chore on paper. Yet with Josh Safdie teaming up with Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, that could not be further from the truth. The film delivers one of the most exhilarating cinematic experiences not just of the year but of the entire decade so far. It is a spectacle that demands the biggest screen possible and promises the most riveting and explosive way to spend your Christmas Day.
Marty Supreme, brought to life by Safdie and his fellow screenwriter Ronald Bronstein, is very loosely based on the real life ping pong champion Marty Reisman during the peak of his career in the 1950s. I say loosely because the movie’s title character is Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), and the vast majority of his exploits along with the carnage around him are almost entirely fictionalised. Put simply, the film follows Mauser’s dream to climb to the top of the sport and his determination to become a household name while dragging ping pong into the American mainstream. However that description does not come close to capturing the chaos and unpredictable ride that unfolds.
Narratively, Marty Supreme is chaotic in all the best ways. It hits fifth gear almost instantly and keeps its foot on the accelerator for the entire runtime never letting up for even a single second. It is utterly relentless and a completely rip roaring blast from beginning to end. After Mauser loses the British Open final fairly early on, following some gripping ping pong scenes, the story becomes filled with twists as he focuses entirely on getting back to the world championship and securing revenge. In fact, after the opening act, ping pong tournaments take a back seat for much of the runtime as the film explores Marty’s life and his ruthless pursuit of greatness at any cost.
Within those twists, which I will keep deliberately vague so you can enjoy them for yourselves, are two relationships that are essential to Marty’s journey and they could not be more different. One is with Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion), a childhood friend and secret lover. The other is with movie star Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), the forbidden fruit Marty cannot resist. The only thing they share is Marty’s talent for masterful manipulation as he uses both of them entirely for his own benefit and showing no concern for their emotions. His only priority is himself.
This attitude defines the entire film and makes it clear that at his core, Marty Mauser is a self centred piece of shit who will happily screw over anyone, even the people closest to him, if it helps him get what he wants. The writing is razor sharp and Chalamet’s performance is so committed that Mauser’s toxic personality feels completely real. Yet despite every part of me that should despise him, I found myself wanting him to succeed and admiring his unbelievable drive. I have no doubt that most viewers will become fully invested in his journey and will be swept up in the surprisingly emotional finale which feels entirely earned rather than forced.
Naturally, Timothée Chalamet will receive most of the attention when Marty Supreme hits cinemas. He is utterly transformative as Marty Mauser. This is not only the best performance of his career so far, it is one of the most remarkable in recent years. It feels like the kind of work that will win him the Oscar he clearly desires and become a defining moment in his filmography. It is almost impossible to find enough superlatives to describe how extraordinary he is. Just like the film itself, Chalamet matches its intensity, unpredictability and larger than life energy. The ping pong sequences alone are astonishing, especially after learning that he trained for six years for the role with the payoff being genuinely jaw dropping.
An immense amount of credit also goes to Paltrow and A’zion, who are superb in their supporting roles. Their work is incredibly strong in its own right and elevates Chalamet’s performance even further. It would not surprise me at all to see both of them pick up a healthy amount of awards attention. In a much smaller part as Wally, one of Marty’s close friends, Tyler the Creator delivers a brief but memorable cameo that has left me genuinely curious to see where he takes his acting career next.
Performances aside, something I absolutely did not expect from a film about a ping pong player is how funny it would be. Yet it is easily one of the funniest movies of the year. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and at least four jokes that were so outrageous audiences are bound to audibly gasp. They are the kind of inappropriate jokes you might hear at a Jimmy Carr show, but Chalamet delivers them with perfect comedic timing which makes every single one land beautifully. I had an absolute ball watching them unfold, particularly his “atom bomb” comment which still makes me chuckle two weeks on.
The cinematography by Darius Khondji is outstanding and features some of the most visually striking shots of the entire year. The way he captures the 1950s aesthetic and makes it feel vivid and authentic is a joy to experience. The score is equally impressive. Long time Safdie collaborator Daniel Lopatin creates one of the most memorable soundtracks of the year. It heightens the momentum of the film and complements its wild energy in virtually every scene.
Perhaps the biggest downside of the entire movie is that it eventually has to end. There are a few elements I would have liked to see explored further, particularly the table tennis ball branding subplot that became a standout moment in the trailer, but in truth, even that is handled very well. I simply enjoyed the film so much that two and a half hours felt far too short. I could have happily stayed in Marty Mauser’s world for another two and a half without a single complaint.
As awards season ramps up, it will become increasingly difficult to overlook Marty Supreme as a major contender in many categories. It is one of those rare films that left me feeling overwhelmingly grateful to witness something so extraordinary on the big screen. And to be completely honest, I found myself a little emotional that I am fortunate enough to watch a work of this calibre unfold before my eyes. Marty Supreme is a once in a generation masterpiece.