Marty Supreme Review: Timothee Chalamet Is Supreme

Marty Supreme is anchored by a stunning lead performance from Timothee Chalamet, applauds Mayur Sanap.

There's something cleverly deceptive about Timothee Chalamet's Marty Supreme, where he plays a table tennis player with big dreams. It initially presents itself as a familiar, feel-good sports biopic, complete with an underdog story and a 'dream big' arc. All the expected beats are there in Josh Safdie's Oscar-hopeful film, but what makes it so satisfying is how it quietly overturns them.

What could have been a standard rags-to-riches tale becomes a sharper, more surprising take on the sports hero drama, one that suggests a protagonist doesn't need to be likeable to be compelling.

In that sense, Marty Supreme plays out much like Josh Safdie's earlier film Uncut Gems, which he co-directed with his brother Benny before the two parted ways into solo projects (Benny Safdie directed last year's The Smashing Machine).

Here too, the mess and chaos stem from the protagonist himself, shaping a character study reminiscent of Adam Sandler's Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems, a compulsive gambler whose selfish, reckless decisions drive the film's relentless tension.

What Marty Supreme is about

Set in early 1950s New York, Marty Supreme follows Marty Mauser (Chalamet), an ordinary shoe-store clerk who becomes obsessed with table tennis as his way out of an unremarkable life.

Marty is gifted, but also deeply flawed. He is ambitious, and also stubborn. He is calculative, and also impulsive. He is a charmer, and also a compulsive liar. These are the qualities that make him anything but a conventional sports hero.

He juggles an affair with his married childhood sweetheart Rachel (Odessa A'zion) and forms an unexpected attraction to retired movie star Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow). Each reckless choice made by Marty feeds his next that sends the story into increasingly chaotic territory.

Josh Safdie and writing partner Ronald Bronstein deliver a breathless 149-minute screenplay that runs forward on pure momentum, which shows the cost of one man's obsession in all its messiness. The film deliberately avoids the familiar tropes of a sports film, doing away with rousing training sequences, or inspiring lines or neat guiding figures.

The film can feel a bit overstuffed at times, and you might wonder if giving Rachel more backstory, or exploring her shared history with Marty would have made the narrative richer. Still, it's never boring. You're drawn in, watching closely.

A Solid Timothee Chalamet leads the Marty Supreme cast

Timothee Chalamet delivers perhaps his most magnetic performance yet. His portrayal pulses with a frenetic, physical energy far removed from the restrained charm he has shown in his earlier work. Though Marty is morally bankrupt, Chalamet keeps you invested, capturing the character's relentless drive to survive.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Odessa A'zion make a strong impression as the film's female leads, delivering sublime performances. Still, you can't help but wish their characters were a bit more developed, which would have added depth and strengthened the story.

After all the manic, pulse-pounding energy preceding it, the final stretch of the film eases into a quiet moment, with the closing scene lingering on Chalamet's face. In that stillness, Marty Supreme delivers a subtle but unexpectedly emotional payoff, and anchored by a fantastic lead performance that stays with you.

Having already earned Best Actor honoirs at the Critics' Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, it wouldn't be surprising to see Chalamet take home the Oscar this year.

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