Review | Marty Supreme (2025)

Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme is an incredible vehicle for Timothée Chalamet—it’s a phenomenal exploration of life, love, and unyielding self-confidence—a true gem.

It’s time to marvel at Marty Supreme. Timothée Chalamet’s latest comedy drama is hitting cinemas this Christmas, and the awards buzz is already electric. The actor has already amassed an incredible body of work, but to date, the rising star hasn’t reached the bar set by the Academy. Enter Josh Safdie. The visionary director already has an impressive filmography, including weighty dramas such as Uncut Gems and Heaven Knows What. But this is his first time collaborating with Timothée Chalamet, and together, the duo hopes to crack the formula that can carry both to the top.

In Marty Supreme, the duo has uncovered a unicorn of a story. The sport of Ping Pong has never been the focus of a project like this, but with classics like The Hustler, Risky Business, and The Color of Money serving as blueprints, there is a hidden treasure trove of stories waiting to be found. But can Chalamet and Safdie team up to craft a story deserving of respect? Or is Marty Supreme just another weak attempt to compete for awards? 

REVIEW

Get ready, film fans, because Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme is an incredible vehicle for Timothée Chalamet. His energy and conviction are infectious. Although the plot and pacing feel frenzied and temper its brilliance, the film is a phenomenal exploration of life, love, and unyielding self-confidence—a true gem. I don’t know who is advising Chalamet on his career choices, but they deserve a pat on the back, because this film is to Chalamet what Cocktail was for Tom Cruise. It’s a slick, edge-of-your-seat presentation that will charm the pants off the audience and leave them desperate for more. 

With some brilliant support work from Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, and Tyler, the Creator, Chalamet rises to the top and shines like the true star that he is. That, coupled with an impressive score, Safdie’s brilliant directorial eye, and exceptional retro ’50s production value, makes the film an absolute triumph. 

MARTY REISMAN

With the film loosely inspired by the life of pro Ping-Pong player Marty Reisman, the audience may expect the movie to be a vehicle for the sport of Table Tennis to shine. But you’d be dead wrong. Instead, the story pivots to become a character study of pro ping-pong player Marty Mauser (Chalamet), particularly the chaos he leaves in his wake wherever he goes as his quest to prove himself the best player in the world unfolds. Mauser has incredible talent and needs a platform to showcase his outstanding skills. With a tournament just days away in the UK, Mauser agrees to work at his Uncle’s shoe store in New York to cover his travel expenses, and that is where our story begins. 

Mauser is a born hustler and is always pulling a fast one in every aspect of his life. From tricking customers into buying the most expensive shoes to talking his way into a pseudo-armed robbery, Mauser has a knack for stirring up trouble and finding the back door. Even with his married childhood friend, Rachel, whom he impregnates in a Look Who’s Talking style conception montage, he has his way, and when he’s done, he jets off to England, where his spot in the tournament awaits. 

BATTER UP!

Where Chalamet truly excels is in his craft to make the character believable. We quickly invest in Marty, even when he’s pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes, and yearn to see him succeed. With his slick tongue, fast-talking, and over-the-top self-confidence, Marty has never met a mark he couldn’t hustle, and Chalamet has the moxie and the charisma to pull it off. I’ll circle back to Tom Cruise’s Cocktail and his young, ambitious bartender, Brian Flanagan, who sets off into the world to make a million. Only Cruise had the charisma to pull that character off, and the same magic is oozing from Chalamet here. 

Making us, the audience, root for the morally corrupt Marty Mauser is an impossible task, but Chalamet pulls it off with ease. We empathize with Mauser, share his angst when the chips are down, and even yearn for his safety despite his unflinching overconfidence. It is a true testament to the actor’s craft. He has never performed better than he does here, and he matures as an actor with every passing second of the running time. Yes, he performed brilliantly as Willy Wonka and is positively magnetic as Paul Atreides in Dune, but here, he rises above and beyond and takes his place amongst the greats. 

SUPPORTING CAST

Marty’s persona is so alluring that everyone in his gravity ends up suffering, whether by design or unintentionally; they cannot avoid the vortex of chaos he brings. Whether it’s Odessa A’zion’s Rachel, who finds herself carrying Marty’s child while being married to another man, or Gwyneth Paltrow’s fading actress Kay Stone, whom Marty seduces on a whim, nobody is safe from his whirlwind shenanigans. Even Stone’s successful businessman husband, Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary), finds himself snared in Marty’s web, and the carnage never seems to end. 

Thankfully, the supporting cast is all up for the challenge and performs admirably alongside Chalamet. Gwyneth Paltrow especially enjoys a more seasoned role than we’ve seen her in for some time, and she revels in the limelight Josh Safdie bathes her in. She slips into gear effortlessly as Stone, revealing a wounded side of her persona that resonates with the audience. Kevin O’Leary performs impressively as Paltrow’s husband, who seems to be the only character immune to most of Mauser’s charms. O’Leary digs deep to deliver a performance of maturity and conviction here, and although our allegiance lies with Mauser, we quickly become invested in Rockwell’s seen-it-all-before tycoon. 

AMAZING ODESSA

But perhaps the most compelling of Chalamet’s co-stars is Odessa A’zion as Rachel Mizler. Being cast as the love of Mauser’s life is no easy task, especially with a baby on the way. But A’zion goes beyond the screenplay to find the character’s inner strength and emerges as a genuine equal to Mauser’s hustler. In truth, Rachel is just as much a hustler as Marty and keeps him on his toes at every turn, even at the cost of the truth being laid bare for all to see. But this makes for compelling viewing.

Like Chalamet, A’zion performs admirably, helping her character connect with the audience and prompting them to invest in her story. We feel for her being trapped in a loveless marriage and for her yearning for Mauser to grow up and come back to her. We share her fears as Marty runs off to London, leaving her behind like a discarded toy, and we long for her to find her feet; this is a testament to A’zion’s craft and dedication. 

SCORE AND DIRECTION

Throughout, and accompanying us on this journey of brilliance, is the melodious score by composer Daniel Lopatin. Lopatin’s score is evocative of the classic hustler films of the 80s with some retro 50s callbacks thrown into the mix, and the results are spectacular. The music exudes the quality of a world-class composer, and the impromptu needle drops by Tears for Fears and New Order only help keep the soundscape fun and vibrant. If this is a sample of Lopatin’s talent, I’m excited to see more from him because, based on this, the composer has a bright future ahead! 

And finally, one can only marvel at the directorial brilliance of Josh Safdie. Through it all, the director keeps the film gripping and intense, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats for well over two hours. From the highs of the Ping Pong tournaments to the lows of Marty begging, pleading, and practically grovelling for help, Safdie keeps the tension building, making the film a nail-biting affair. As I mentioned at the top of this review, the film does suffer from some minor pacing issues, and some of the plot feels far less believable, but these niggles do not detract from what is otherwise a sensational trip to the movies. 

VERDICT

Overall, Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme is another gloriously effective vehicle for Timothée Chalamet to shine. With its exceptional storytelling, over-the-top, jaw-dropping shenanigans, and glowing performances, the film is an absolute triumph. Whether it has the brilliance to rival movies like Hamnet and Rental Family remains to be seen. For me, the praise heaped on Chalamet is well-deserved. After seeing all the award contenders this year, Timothée Chalamet is my frontrunner for Best Actor, given the magnificence of this performance. This is a tour de force performance that has thrust the actor to new heights. 

So, book your ticket and marvel at a genuine coming-of-age performance from Timothée Chalamet. While the film isn’t the best of the year, it has more than enough brilliance to qualify as a legitimate Christmas treat. But be warned, Marty might talk the shirt off your back!

Marty Supreme brings the quest for brilliance to US cinemas on Christmas Day. UK fans can catch the film on Boxing Day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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