Months of bold, unconventional campaigning, led by leading actor Timothee Chalamet, had moviegoers rushing to the nearest cinema to catch director Josh Safdie’s latest.
★★★★☆
A culmination of blimps, worldwide merch popups, and interviews seemed to set an impossible standard for the movie before the trailer had even been released. With only the knowledge that it was a sports biopic, audiences were curious—how could a mere biography possibly warrant such outlandish publicity? Nearly a month on, and all has been forgiven; the campaign’s boldness has been justified by overwhelmingly positive reception from critics and audiences alike.
Marty Supreme follows eponymous protagonist Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet) as he follows his dream to become a global table tennis champion. When we first meet him, he’s working in his uncle’s shoe shop, a role that he feels is beneath him. He steals and cheats his way to tournaments, exploiting and neglecting his peers and his loved ones along the way as he feels as though they, too, are beneath him. He is adamant, right to the very end, that he is uniquely poised “for greatness” and that the responsibilities he has been given are holding him back from unlocking his true potential as a global sports champion.
Chalamet performs at his very best, perfectly capturing Marty’s egotistical and reckless spirit, as well as the comedy that is symptomatic of his audacity—showcased in lines such as “I live with the confidence that if I believe in myself, the money will follow”, while being totally broke. His exceptional work is undoubtedly supplemented by Josh Safdie’s direction, with gorgeous cinematography as we follow Marty’s odyssey from New York to Japan, and an incredible soundtrack featuring the likes of Alphaville and Tears For Fears in some sublime needle drops. All in all, it makes for an exhilarating two-and-a-half hour ride, as we become totally transfixed on this brazen man’s misadventures.
Beyond Chalamet, an incredible variety of performers keep the story compelling. Safdie utilises a mixture of trained, up-and-coming actors, such as Odessa A’Zion and Tyler Okonma (better known by stage name as musician Tyler, The Creator), and alternative talent, from Canadian television personality Kevin O’Leary to English essayist Pico Iyer to create his multi-dimensional ensemble. This unconventional choice deepens the tale’s authenticity, as their non-performative presence makes the world around Marty feel lived-in and humble, a total foil to his ambition and delusion, and therefore works to elevate Chalamet’s performance further. While they may share some traits, these supporting characters are ultimately grounded by some form of responsibility, an affliction Marty believes he is safe from.
The Verdict
Josh Safdie’s first solo effort since splitting from his brother, Benny Safdie, as a directorial duo is a monumental hit: a thrilling, subversive ride. Marty Supreme jumps from action to comedy and drama, making for a hybrid, intensely layered story that is as entertaining as it is volatile. It’s a spectacle in every sense of the word—visually, sonically, and emotionally, propelled by a series of high-stake scenarios that keep the audience hooked in a constant state of anticipation. It’s a fascinating character study and a redefinition of the traditional sports biopic entirely, as Safdie draws on the legacy of legendary table tennis player Marty Reisman, treating his biography as inspiration rather than canon and freely reworking events for cinematic effect.
Words by Zahra Hanif
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