Following the release of his brother Benny’s film The Smashing Machine earlier this year, the other half of the Safdie Brothers directing duo Josh Safdie is finally releasing his first solo directorial effort; one that has featured a marketing blitz notable for its scope for an independent film and for being just as crazy as its main protagonist.
Marty Supreme takes us to 1950s New York where Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet) is a young man who dreams of gaining fame and respect as a world champion in the burgeoning new sport of ping pong. He befriends business magnate Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to help fund his rise, but his penchant for drama threatens it all.
Despite the fact that this is Josh Safdie’s first directorial effort without his brother, Marty Supreme is centered around the anxious tension that has come to be known as the duo’s signature style. Just as 2017’s Good Time and 2019’s Uncut Gems before it, this film effortlessly builds tension throughout its entire runtime as it tracks the manipulation and risk-taking of a flawed protagonist ruthlessly chasing a goal no matter who stands in the way. It’s a roller-coaster of a viewing experience, albeit one where the ride features a slow, steep climb uphill before plunging fast down the hill more times than you can count. As a final treat, the audience is treated with a thrilling showdown in the film’s climax where Marty finally gets a chance to realize the dream he’s been working toward for more than two hours. Like the Safdie Brothers’ previous output, Marty Supreme both makes viewers sick to their stomachs worrying about the outcomes of the various conundrums Marty finds himself in, but also creates investment in the story to the point where they can’t turn away no matter how anxious they get.
While its style is similar, what separates Marty Supreme from the other films in the Safdie Brothers’ filmography is the story of its title character. Marty isn’t chasing a vice or some illicit activity, but instead has a dream of becoming the best ping pong player in the world. He’s a dreamer who’s willing to hustle and struggle in order to achieve and while he goes about it in a narcissistic, self-serving way, the amount of self-belief and determination makes him and his story slightly more sympathetic than the characters that preceded him. Marty is an audacious character whose unwavering belief in his greatness crosses over from confidence to narcissism due to how it surfaces in his treatment of others. His personality works as a critique of our current zeitgeist and cultural mores that dictate self-service as a virtue as long as it’s in continuance of getting what one wants. Marty treats everyone around him as expendable in service of his goals and ruins people’s days and potentially lives without a second thought. Yet, that he doggedly pursues his goals and believes in his own talent so much that nothing stops him until he finally reaches the precipice of achievement does work on some level as an endearing portrait of the audacity of confidence and striving for greatness. It’s the portrait of a dreamer who believes in themselves, flaws and all, and has the temerity to think that their success is inevitable. It makes Marty at once detestable and sympathetic, an extension of the film itself as a portrait of a flawed individual.
Pulling off this balancing act of course hinges on the performance of the lead actor and Chalamet gives one of his best performances to date in a career that is quickly filling up with many of those. He brings Marty alive and presents a realism to all of his heightened personality aspect from the frustrating to the relatable. Chalamet is engrossing onscreen and is able to be imperfect without tipping over toward being too annoying or hatable. It’s a memorable performance that will be recognized for years to come. The supporting cast fits into Marty’s life perfectly led by Gwyneth Paltrow in a fantastic role as Marty’s secret paramour Stone who both indulges and tries to center him and a surprisingly good acting debut for businessman and reality TV star O’Leary as Rockwell, who also happens to be Stone’s husband. O’Leary may simply be playing himself depending on whom you ask, but he comes across as a natural and fantastic foil to Marty, with most people probably unable to tell he’s a novice if they don’t have prior knowledge of who he is.
Marty Supreme is a thrill ride sure to ramp up the anxiety and keep viewers thrilled and enthralled throughout. It’s well paced, allowing the two and a half hour runtime to breeze by and Timothee Chalamet is magnetic as the flawed but interesting title character. Josh Safdie’s debut solo directorial effort deserves laudits not just for its story and actors, but also visuals including period accurate production design that feels like you’re dropped right into 1950s NYC and a grainy cinematography to go with it courtesy of the 35mm film it was shot on. Even creative narrative choices like introducing the character background for star Japanese ping pong player Endo (Koto Kawaguchi) through an old-timey theatrical newsreel. The attention to detail on its setting adds to the film’s authenticity and overall quality.
Image: A24
