Timothee Chalamet Rules the World in Marty Supreme

It's the Pictures is 100% independent and even more reliant on subscribers, both paid and free, for support. Paid subscribers help keep the lights on and allow you to show support for independent journalism. I know that I'm one of many in this space, but I hope my expertise in movies, television, and anime will encourage your support. Becoming a paid subscriber gives you access to many more posts and exclusive content. Consider becoming a paid subscriber today!

It takes a certain kind of individual to be the best. Not only do they have to strive to be physically capable of excelling in their chosen sport, but they also have to have a particular kind of belief. When watching director Josh Safdie’s latest feature, Marty Supreme, I found myself thinking back to another Academy Award-winning documentary, Free Solo. That documentary's real-life subject, Alex Honnold, is so preoccupied with achieving his goal, nothing else truly matters. Like Honnold, this fictional amalgamation, Marty Mauser, seen in Marty Supreme, has an obsessive need for mastery. Whether it's narcissism or drive is up for debate, but there’s no question that Marty Supreme is one of this year’s best films. 

Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet) is simply scraping by until his next big table tennis match. He isn’t working to make a living in his uncle’s shoe store; he’s working for his plane ticket. It’s the 1950s in New York City, and table tennis hasn’t quite gained the popularity that would sustain the sport into the 21st century. No one understands his passion; they simply see it as a frivolity, and his family offers him solid employment at the family store. Working there isn’t without its tiny joys, though, as Marty’s quite a good salesman. When he isn’t selling shoes, his married childhood friend Rachel (Odessa A’zion) is coming into the shop to continue their affair among the boxes. It doesn’t matter that Marty would have a life of security; he has big dreams of becoming the best table tennis player in the world. 

What’s initially surprising is just how talented Marty is. He’s legitimately one of the best table tennis players in the world. During one of his tournaments, he becomes acquainted with wealthy actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), and his charisma wins her over. She’s married to Milton Rockwell (Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary), a businessman who only sees the untapped money he could make in table tennis. If Marty intends to compete with the very best players in the world, he’s going to have to make relationships with many unsavory characters. 

For a few years now, Chalamet has been one of the biggest movie stars in the world. He’s been nominated for Academy Awards multiple times, including his stint as Folk singer Bob Dylan, in last year’s A Complete Unknown. It’s not only that he’s a great actor, but he’s a box office winner with movies like Dune and Wonka. He’s never been better than he is in Marty Supreme. Maybe it's because he was able to mold this fictional new character into his own after having taken parts as established characters, but Chalamet goes for broke in this movie.  In his preparation for the role, Chalamet has been learning table tennis for the last six years. He’d have table tennis tables during his shoots for Wonka, Dune, and Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. That’s quite the commitment, considering that director Josh Safdie shared that most of the table tennis sequences had to be done with CG assistance. In his discussions with the Forrest Gump team (remember that movie had a lengthy table tennis sequence as well), CG is needed because it's impossible to get the scene exactly how you envision it. 

Even though there’s a physical part of the performance, Chalamet also has to tread this fine line of narcissism and passion that wholly embodies Marty. There’s rarely an in-between moment for Marty, as he’s either chasing the highs of competition or the lows of scraping together enough money for his passion. There’s no question that this is his finest performance. 

While Chalamet will rightfully get plenty of acclaim, his co-stars certainly shine brightly as well. Given Paltrow’s profile and history, it's easy to forget that she’s a skillful actress. Her role as Kay Stone reminded me of another great performance, that of Kim Basinger in L.A. Confidential. While Paltrow isn’t exactly playing a femme fatale, she is portraying a former actress who’s entering her twilight. A’zion, who can now be seen regularly in the HBO series I Love LA, is equally great. There’s an unspoken history to her character, one that she entered a passionless marriage, and always held a candle for her childhood love. She’s willing to do anything to see her dream become a reality. 

Both of the Safdie brothers made feature films this year (Benny Safdie directed The Smashing Machine), but it's obvious that Marty Supreme is closer in DNA to Uncut Gems. While not as anxiety-inducing as that feature, Marty Supreme has its share of wise guys and impossible odds. It’s all enhanced by a soundtrack from collaborator Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) and a fascinating musical direction. Josh Safdie utilizes pop songs from the '80s, like Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Forever Young over his 1950s drama. It shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does. 

Who would’ve thought you could make such a great movie from table tennis? While Josh Safdie thought about leaving film behind after Uncut Gems and focusing on other endeavors, including parenthood, his latest encapsulates so much of what he’s learned as a director. He’s made an excellent film with a career-best performance from Chalamet. Usually, when I want to see a film again immediately after watching it, I know I’ve seen something great.  I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Marty Supreme. [A-]

Marty Supreme opens in theaters on Christmas Day.

Here are the movies I caught up with in November:

As always, if you’d like to follow along on Letterboxd, my account can be found here.

Podcast

🎙️My co-host Evan Crean and I talk about the Knives Out movies now that the latest entry is in theaters. It'll be coming to Netflix soon.

It's the Pictures Update

I'm going to save the full update until the start of the New Year, but numbers are heading in the right direction. While we haven't yet made the target to keep the newsletter sustainable beyond 2026, I'm optimistic about the growth. If you like what you read in the newsletter, please share it. The more subscribers, the more likely there will be those who want to contribute. If you enjoyed the gift list or would like to support an independent newsletter, I'd greatly appreciate it.