After the mildly received “The Smashing Machine,” the cautious optimism and tepid intrigue for “Marty Supreme” felt palpable. Many were left wondering if the Safdie Brothers were only good together, similar to the Coens whose solo outings have been a far cry from their herald, award winning work. Like a bolt of lightning striking the desert ground, “Marty Supreme” electrifies the screen with breakneck pacing, wholly engrossing characters and a supercharged career best lead performance from Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Dune,” “A Complete Unknown“). Turns out Josh Safdie has the juice and possess most of the directorial talents shared between the two brothers. Benny Safdie may be more prominent in front of the camera, but its Josh that has real skills behind it and that’s never been more clear than with “Marty Supreme,” a tightly wound, deeply layered exploration of the cost of greatness and the invincibility of youth.
I’ll go ahead and ease your minds early: no, you don’t have to know anything or even care about ping-pong as a sport to enjoy “Marty Supreme,” although the exquisite cinematography from Darius Khondji and masterful editing from Ronald Bronstein make every single table tennis match some of the most exciting action you’ll see on screen. It’s merely a vehicle used by Josh to glue his wild, ambitious story together and smartly avoid the typical sports drama cliches that come with the genre.
“Marty Supreme” is more about belief and the cost of pursuing dreams, told through the eyes of a young, obnoxious, narcissistic young man who’s true potential is both propelled and held back by his own self destructive tendencies. Chalamet’s Marty Mauser is a talented dreamer, one who has immense skill and the wits to hustle his way about the world but who also lacks the experience of reality and the wisdom of consequences. He barrels through life with a motor mouth and an unearned confidence that constantly clashes with it’s underdog characterization. Marty eats ego for breakfast, fueled by the unwavering assuredness that he is the greatest athlete to ever walk the earth. It would be exhausting if it wasn’t so entertaining.
Josh proposes that dreaming and betting big on yourself is a young man’s game, and Chalamet delivers a career best as that young man. “Marty Supreme” asks him to make an extremely unlikeable character charming and thrilling, letting the audience in on the fact that every bad thing that happens to Marty is entirely his fault but we can’t help but root for him to succeed anyway. Josh seems to know exactly how to use him and masterfully extracts every immeasurable capability and levels the young star has.
This film needs you to believe in Marty, even when we want him to shut the hell up and just make one good decision. There’s a thematic core that Josh is able to deeply tap into, the kind of complexity that so many others – Benny included – only seem to scratch the surface. There’s a purposeful intensity to the tapestry of events. The wild ride often feels scattershot – Marty getting into one hijinks after another running his mouth and pursuing greatness as if all the world bends to his will and consequences don’t exist. It’s the kind of emotional stuntedness that can only come from someone in their 20s, untouched by reality and bursting with unbridled youthful energy.
From running ping pong hustles on the outskirts of New York to working out new scams for money to compete internationally, to messing with married movie stars to avoiding responsibility of getting his married girlfriend pregnant, “Marty Supreme” rips forward with youthful whirlwind energy. The 80s pop synth soundtrack juxtaposed against the early 1960s New York setting is an odd couple marriage that only adds to the pulse pounding antics and unstoppable drive. There’s nothing Marty can’t do except a whole bunch of things, but “Marty Supreme” is content with leaving us right on the tight wire of complete spiraling and crash out paired with unquestionable belief and underdog undertones. It’s one hell of a feat and a big announcement from Josh Safdie, one that I didn’t see coming but am very happy it arrived.
At 149 minutes, “Marty Supreme” asks a lot of us. We’re asked to go on a journey that at almost every turn gives us a reason to throw our hands up in defeat and let the man implode his life. But even when it starts to feel it’s length, Chalemet puts us on his shoulders and carries us through to the end. We’ll discuss the ending here in a second, but going this whole review without mentioning the stellar work from Odessa A’zion as Rachel, Marty’s pregnant, married girlfriend. She’s got the same fire as Marty, equally street smart and naive and true believer in Marty even when that belief is sometimes unfounded. She has arrived, and “Marty Supreme” is one big way to tell the world you’re ready for your close up. And of course it’s wonderful to see Gwenyth Paltrow return in a role that feels wholly suited for her sensibilities. She’s the much needed grown up in “Marty Supreme,” despite making some pretty terrible choices indulging some of Marty’s worst tendencies.
I don’t want to spend too many words on Kevin O’Leary, but I’ll say yes he’s in “Marty Supreme” and yes he’s actually pretty good here.
Of course, something this bold and propulsive only works if it sticks the landing, and my God does “Marty Supreme” land it all beautifully. The final 20 minutes of the film is some of the best cinema you’ll see all year, and brings the frantic journey to a head that feels rewarding for your efforts. It’s easy to wonder what it all means and where it’s all going, with one being able to make a case that it’s as hollow as the ping pong balls that rapidly bounce across the screen. But the final moments of “Marty Supreme” obliterate that argument and imbues a well of emotion that answers every question about what it all is; who Marty is, was, and who is going to be from now on.
Like the underdog framework of its own story, “Marty Supreme” comes out of nowhere as one of the best films of the year. A career best from Chalemet, a career defining moment for A’zion, a career return for Paltrow, and solo career announcement for Josh Safdie. That’s a whole lot of right ingredients mixed together with expert precision, and cements “Marty Supreme” as a must see film for the ages.
Dream big, baby. Before life puts you to work and real world finds you.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
“Marty Supreme” is in theaters Christmas Day. You can watch the trailer below.
