Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” is ELECTRIC and had me on the edge of my seat throughout its nearly two and a half hour runtime. Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) is a young table tennis player with a hunger to reach the top. Set in 1950s New York City, Marty has to work, con, and deceive to reach his goal of becoming the face of American table tennis.
I saw this film at a sold-out showing at my local movie theatre. I had to sit in the first row in front of the screen as they did not sell assigned seats. My friends and I were frustrated and agreed that we would come back to see the movie a second time if it was any good.
Let’s just say we’re going back again.
The film is loosely based on true events, specifically a real ping-pong player in the 1950s named Marty Reisman. The film is not a traditional biopic, as many of the events and storylines are made up. Josh Safdie’s brother, Benny Safdie, seems to prefer a more traditional sports biopic approach, having directed the 2025 film “The Smashing Machine.”
Marty’s initial plan was straightforward: attend the British Open and defeat defending champion Bela Kletzki, but he ended up facing many challenges and setbacks. I’ll avoid spoiling the plot, but the film is not straightforward whatsoever.
It was made clear that Marty is a selfish and narcissistic character; however, I still wanted to root for him throughout the film because of his spirit and undying passion for doing what he loves. I was on a teeter-totter; one side of me hated him, and the other loved him. There are many curveballs throughout the film that really took me by surprise and made me say, “Did that really just happen?” The film took me on an ever-changing journey, and I truly did not know what would happen next. Despite its long runtime, the film is very fast-paced and may not be for everyone. I enjoyed the pacing, but keep that in mind if you’re a fan of films that are paced slowly.
The casting was great in this film. Chalamet delivered an Oscar-worthy performance in this film. Odessa A’zion, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Tyler Okonma (aka Tyler, The Creator) also delivered notable performances in their supporting roles. Someone I did not expect to be in the film was Kevin O’Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank). He played a stuck-up, rich businessman in the film, similar to how he is in real life, and I honestly thought he fit perfectly. The film included many other non-actors as well. Dion (Luke Manley) was chosen for the part because of a Sidetalk NYC video of him making jokes on the street. Tyler Okonma also acted for the first time in a feature-length film.
The film also looks and sounds amazing. It was shot primarily on 35mm film and used Kodak lenses to achieve a specific 1950s look. The sound design made each table tennis match seem more intense, and the score perfectly complemented the action and chase scenes.
“Marty Supreme” is an extraordinary and special film. I highly recommend you check it out if you haven’t already. I hope its brilliance lives on for years to come, and I am looking forward to seeing what Josh Safdie works on next.
I give this film 4.5 stars out of 5. What do you think about the film? I encourage you to leave a comment down below or reach out to me on Instagram @anthonyciuffo_broadcasting.
