At the end of December 2025, “Marty Supreme” surged past the competition, garnering enough press to be heralded as the major feature film of the year, but did it live up to expectations?
“Marty Supreme” is a brazen exploration of our nation’s favorite archetype: a man of special talents with all odds stacked against him. The film stars Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a character based loosely on the real-life professional table tennis player, showman, and hustler, Marty Reisman. Set against the electricity and hustle of 1950s New York, Mauser is introduced as a self-assured table tennis player begrudgingly working as a shoe salesman, whose confidence borders on delusions of grandeur, not just for himself, but for what the sport of table tennis can become at the national level. But when he is faced with the repercussions of his audacious behavior and antics, chaos ensues as the clock ticks and Marty attempts his shot at redemption.
The style of director Josh Safdie, known for his films “Good Time” (2017) and “Uncut Gems” (2019), and co-writer and frequent collaborator Ronald Bronstein, (“Daddy Longlegs” (2009) and “Uncut Gems” (2019)), lend itself to the chaotic and fast-tempo build-ups of the fast-paced competition scenes and Marty’s seedy schemes.
Chalamet integrates aspects of the know it all character archetype, simultaneously displaying the arrogance of someone who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. He envisions Marty Mauser as someone with abandon, and acts this trait out in full, facing danger and tension with both credible authority and recklessness. Some of the most notable examples of his ability to raise emotional stakes through performance are his scenes with Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), his bravado is in full display even when he’s at his wit’s end. The contrast between the dynamic we see at the beginning of their meeting versus at the end is revelatory in itself, and Chalamet does a great job of revealing so without dialogue.
An outstanding supporting performance comes from Tyler Gregory Okonma as Wally, Marty’s friend and fellow table tennis player, who enables and takes part in his money-seeking schemes and ploys. The two become embroiled in a bizarre ordeal with Ezra Mishkin (Abel Ferrara), a mobster who entrusts them with a prized possession and ends up regretting it.
Chalamet and Okonoma are joined by a stacked supporting cast that delivers unforgettable performances, such as that of Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), a retired actress stuck in a daunting marriage with businessman Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary), and Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’Zion), who plays Marty’s childhood friend and affair partner. Both of these characters find Marty captivating enough to sneak around behind their respective partners’ backs, despite their ability to see through the entire con that Marty is in the outside world. Whether through amusement, excitement, or familiarity, they are not appalled at the extreme lengths he can go to achieve his selfish desires of playing in the world championship.
With expectations high, “Marty Supreme” successfully serves up a precise character study of a deeply selfish man who has bought into the “every man for himself” myth of success. While the film’s attempt to juggle an abundance of material occasionally works against it, it never compromises its character’s values, staying true to them until the end. If you stick around through the jolting plot twists, the film ultimately reveals a fascinating portrait of human will, one that overcomes reason and caution in its relentless pursuit of success.
Don’t miss “Marty Supreme” in theaters out now, and be the judge of whether it is deserving of the buzz.
Featured Photo Credit: A24
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