Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser in Marty SupremeImage via A24
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Ross Bonaime
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Ross Bonaime is the Senior Film Editor at Collider. He is a Virginia-based critic, writer, and editor who has written about all forms of entertainment for Paste Magazine, Brightest Young Things, Flickchart, The Free Lance-Star, and more. Ross graduated from George Mason University with a focus in communications and journalism and a minor in film and video studies.
Ross is a Tomatometer-approved critic, a member of the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association, and a member of the Critics Choice Association. He has loved movies ever since he saw Cinderella in the theater as a kid, he can quote 10 Things I Hate About You and Wet Hot American Summer from memory, and is fascinated by all things Georges Méliès and Charlie Chaplin.
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Earlier this year, when accepting the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet gave a speech where he said he was “in pursuit of greatness.” He wanted to be one of the greats, inspired by people like Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, and Viola Davis. It was an earnest speech from a young actor who hasn’t even hit 30 but has already proved he’s well on his way to becoming one of the preeminent actors of his generation.
It’s also certainly fitting that Chalamet's first film since that speech is Marty Supreme, as this sounds like something his titular character would say offhandedly — granted, with more cockiness, self-assured bravado, and an awareness that he has to become great. In Marty Supreme, Chalamet’s Marty Mauser is a table tennis star, but he’s also an actor of sorts, a self-mythologizing character who espouses his legend as if it's inevitable and obvious, building up his mythos before he’s even had the chance to prove it. Not only is Marty Supreme an incredibly tense, hilarious, and propulsive film about the pursuit of greatness and what it takes to make it in a world fighting against you, it’s also quite possibly Chalamet’s most incredible performance so far, the best example of his greatness, and one of 2025's finest performances.
‘Marty Supreme’ Is the Most Intense Film About Table Tennis You’ll Ever See
Set in early 1950s New York, Chalamet stars as Marty Mauser, who works at a shoe store but dreams of becoming a star in the table tennis world. In fact, he already thinks of himself as a star, presenting as the arrogant future golden boy of the burgeoning new sport taking the world by storm. Despite the overconfident way Marty exhibits himself, his reality is far less exciting than he shows to the world. Marty lives with his mother, Rebecca (Fran Drescher), who seems to be a hypochondriac, and is having an affair with his married lifelong friend, Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion). But Marty is focused on his rising star, quitting the shoe business to go to London for a major table tennis tournament.
There, his brash attitude is both a gift and a curse. While it might be off-putting to those who run the table tennis tournament, as Marty demands to be put up in a nice hotel, it’s also his posturing that gets him into bed with former actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), who is staying at this same hotel with her businessman husband, Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary). But in London, Marty also proves that he has a reason to be cocky, doing incredibly well in the tournament, before he heads back to New York City.
Back home, the complications start to pile up, as Marty has to gather the money together for another tournament in Japan, where he can truly show what he is capable of doing. Along his quest for the required cash, Marty will fall into scams with his friend Wally (Tyler Okonma, aka Tyler, the Creator), become caught up in a wild journey with a strange dog owner (Abel Ferrara), and handle the potential of getting into business with Milton, in addition to the complications with his affairs with both Rachel and Kay. Even though it seems impossible that Marty will be able to acquire the money he needs, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the greatness he knows he has within him.
‘Marty Supreme’ Is Like ‘Uncut Gems’ Mixed With a Sports Movie
In bringing the world of Marty Supreme to life, director and co-writer Josh Safdie (making his first solo feature since 2008's The Pleasure of Being Robbed, and his first film since 2019’s Uncut Gems) is balancing a lot of ideas that probably shouldn’t go together, but somehow meld beautifully. Safdie utilizes music that is anachronistic to the 1950s yet manages to match the tone of the story he’s telling. Even though songs like “Forever Young” by Alphaville, or “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears, wouldn’t exist for a few decades, their inclusion in Marty Supreme matches nicely, almost akin to how Sofia Coppola could make The Strokes and New Order fit in perfectly to Marie Antoinette. Historically, it doesn’t make sense, but tonally, it’s just right.
Because of this, as well as its focus on table tennis, Marty Supreme is essentially a 1980s sports movie thrown into a 1950s New York film — all in a Safdie wrapping. For example, in the first act, Marty Supreme, written by Safdie and Uncut Gems, Good Time, and Heaven Knows What co-writer Ronald Bronstein, seems like it could be a relatively straightforward sports movie about a rising star proving his worth. Yet, of course, this is a film by Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein, so, of course, it’s not going to be that simple. Marty Supreme then shifts into a movie that is more akin to their previous work, as it becomes an adrenaline-soaked series of events that build and build until it feels like they might break at any moment. Quite often, it’s easy to make comparisons between Marty’s adventure and the one that Adam Sandler’s Howard Ratner experienced in Uncut Gems.
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Posts By Jeremy Urquhart Sep 2, 2024As one would expect from previous Josh Safdie films, the now-solo director knows how to ratchet up the intensity effortlessly, putting new obstacles in every step of Marty’s journey. Even though we’ve seen this type of film by Josh Safdie before, there’s a richness to this version that's unlike anything we’ve seen from him. The grittiness of Safdie’s New York feels like the grimy films of the 1960s and ‘70s, like The French Connection, Midnight Cowboy, or early Martin Scorsese works. Yet thanks to the cinematography from Darius Khondji, we feel the filth of the city, yet also a surprising warmth throughout. Much like Marty itself, it’s abrasive, but we also can’t help but like it. Also adding to this forward momentum is a jarring score by Daniel Lopatin (also known as Oneohtrix Point Never), which escalates Marty’s every movement and makes us inherently uncomfortable as things go from bad to worse. Safdie, Bronstein, Khondji, and Lopatin all previously worked together on Uncut Gems, and once again, they’ve captured greatness here.
Marty Supreme is an excellent presentation of what Josh Safdie is able to accomplish as a filmmaker in his own right. This is a stunning film to look at, with a script that’s both intense and frequently hilarious, while also shifting genres at ease. One moment can be almost over-the-top comical, then changing on a dime to become menacing and nightmarish — however, it all beautifully fits into the larger piece. It’s a brilliantly constructed film that will have you biting your nails and shifting in your seat, completely unable to predict where this bonkers tale could take you next. If Marty Supreme has a flaw, it’s that at 150 minutes, it can’t always hold its propulsion as effectively throughout. Near the end of the second act, Safdie lets his foot off the gas just a little bit, and it’s hard for the film to get back to rolling at the same speed from then on. That being said, the rest of this adventure remains a blast to the very end regardless.
Timothée Chalamet Gives One of His Best Performances Yet in ‘Marty Supreme’
Timothée Chalamet in Marty SupremeImage via A24
As one would expect, Marty Supreme hinges on Chalamet’s performance, which manages to be both frustrating and endearing in equal measure. Chalamet leans into that Safdie manic energy, always moving and talking, as though he’s just as active making his way through the real world as he is during a table tennis match. He pushes things too far, he’s acerbic, and he can simply be annoying. Yet he always manages to find his way back into the good graces of those around him, always as a way to reach his own ends. It’s a performance that asks Chalamet to spin a lot of plates all at once, and he’s more than up for the task.
Marty Mauser is also the perfect role for Chalamet, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else taking on this role. This is a performance that lets Chalamet show off everything he’s capable of, allowing him to be absurdly funny, delightfully charming, intense, and unsettling, as well as both a hero and villain. Maybe it’s because Marty and Timothée, in a broad sense, are both trying to achieve greatness in their own ways, but this is a role that Chalamet sinks into marvelously. We’ve certainly seen fantastic performances from Chalamet throughout his entire career, but no role up until now has so fully captured all of his talents so aptly like Marty Supreme does.
'Marty Supreme's Supporting Cast Is Full of Surprises
Kevin O’Leary in Marty SupremeImage via A24
Marty Supreme throws its lead character into all sorts of scenarios and situations that seem futile, and in doing that, we also get a tremendous supporting cast along the way that also elevates the film immensely. Outside of Chalamet, the real MVP is Odessa A’zion in a star-making performance. A’zion’s Rachel is the perfect partner-in-crime for Chalamet’s Marty, willing to go on whatever scheme he’s onto next, while testing him in ways that completely pull the rug out from under him. When Rachel earns the spotlight, she’s just as compelling to watch as Marty, and this bond certainly shows how both of these two have rubbed off on each other since their friendship started in childhood. Chalamet is already getting tons of Oscar buzz for his performance, but it would also be a mistake not to give A’zion the same level of acclaim.
Paltrow’s Kay Stone is another standout, a former actress who is starting to dip her toe back into that world again. It might seem ridiculous that she’d start an affair with Marty, but it’s almost as though his youthful exuberance gives her the light she needs at this point in her life. This marks Paltrow’s first non-MCU film in a decade, and it’s a sign that we should absolutely be seeing more of her in films that play to her strengths like this one.
Josh Safdie has also assembled one of the most bonkers ensemble casts in recent memory, full of unhinged choices that are so absurd, they actually work. This is a film that includes Tyler, the Creator, Kevin O’Leary, Penn Jillette, Fred Hechinger, Isaac Mizrahi, Son of Saul’s Géza Röhrig, Sandra Bernhard, and many more, yet they all fit right into Marty’s odd world. While some of the casting choices might sometimes come off as a shock, it doesn’t take long before they’ve proven why they’re just the right pick for this wild ride.
Even though Josh Safdie might be playing to his strengths with Marty Supreme — with the intensity, the escalation, and the lead character who lives in a deeply gray area — this is still one of the most exciting and engaging films you'll see all year. It'll get your heart pumping from the very beginning, rarely giving you time to breathe, and boasts a lead performance from an actor who's truly in command of his greatness.
Marty Supreme premieres in theaters on December 25.
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Marty Supreme
Josh Safdie crafts an intense story with a commanding lead performance by Timothée Chalamet.
Like Follow Followed Drama Comedy Release Date December 25, 2025 Director Josh Safdie Writers Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie Producers Anthony Katagas, Ronald Bronstein, Timothée Chalamet, Eli Bush, Joe Guest, Timo ArgillanderCast
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Gwyneth Paltrow
Carol Dunne
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Timothée Chalamet
Marty Mauser
In 1950s New York, Marty Reisman rises through the underground world of table tennis, transforming the sport with his acrobatic skills and flamboyant personality. As he navigates fame, fortune, and a cast of colorful characters, his obsession with winning collides with personal struggles in this biopic directed by Josh Safdie.
Genres Drama, Comedy Expand Collapse Pros & Cons- Josh Safdie knows how to balances genres and tension brilliantly.
- Timothée Chalamet gives a performance that shows everything he's capable of.
- This wild ensemble cast, especially Odessa A'zion, is great throughout.
- Once Marty Supreme hits the brakes a bit late in the second half, it's hard for it to get going at the same level again.
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Marty Supreme
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Timothee Chalamet
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