'Marty Supreme': Ping Pong Has Never Been More Electric

Courtesy of A24

Marty Supreme is the latest film directed by Josh Safdie and stars Timothee Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a ping pong player looking to be the best in the world and win the world championship. This isn't your ordinary sports film. Sure, there's ping pong in it and scenes where matches are being played. But, Marty Supreme is more than that. It is a film about doing whatever it takes to achieve your dream, even if you hurt people along the way. This film has been marketed incredibly well by its star Timothee Chalamet and his passion for the project is undeniable. But, does it live up to the hype?

Marty Supreme is an electric film from start to finish. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone because of director Josh Safdie. Safdie who usually directs with his brother Benny, went solo on this film. Safdie's films are often chaotic and non stop. Just look at the previous films Good Time and Uncut Gems. Those films don't let you breathe even for a second. Marty Supreme definitely reminded me of Uncut Gems. The pacing of both films are very similar and the chaotic nature is seen in both films. This creates an exciting movie and scenes that are not wasted. Marty Supreme is a film that goes and goes and never stops.

Timothee Chalamet as Marty Mauser gives an electric performance. The character of Mauser is cocky and arrogant and ambitious. Chalamet plays the character perfectly. There's moments you want to root for him and then there's moments where you despise him. But, it's a testament to Chalamet's acting because you forget it's him playing the role. He dives so well into the character, it feels like you are watching a documentary. The character was inspired by legendary ping pong player Marty Reisman. Interviews with Reisman show that Reisman was the same kind of person, very arrogant, confident, and flamboyant. The other performances in the film are great as well. Odessa A'zion gives a breakout performance as Rachel and Gwyneth Paltrow gives a strong performance as actress Kay Stone. Kevin O'Leary gives a good performance as Milton Rockwell. The character is just like him in real life, so it must of been easy to play the character. Marty Supreme's performances are strong which adds to how great this film is.

What makes Marty Supreme great is how chaotic it is but how it all stays on course. This film surprised me because a lot of the things that happened in the film, I did not expect at all. The trailer really doesn't give away anything in this film which is great. There's many scenes where the chaos just stacks on top of each other and you're thinking to yourself what more can happen to Marty. The direction by Josh Safdie was fantastic and especially how he created some of the shots in this film. I loved how authentic it was to the 1950s. They also created b-roll for what it was like in the 1950s.

This film is all about achieving your dreams, no matter the cost. There's moments in the film where you question Marty's decision making. But, the underlying theme is to do whatever it takes to achieve your dream. Even though Marty can be obnoxious and arrogant, you still want to see him achieve his dream. You understand that his dream is more important than anything else in his life.

The ping pong scenes are absolutely electric. As an avid ping pong player, it was cool to see ping pong on a wide scale. Even though you can tell some of the shots are CGI, it was awesome to see ping pong in a big budget film. Not ever since Forrest Gump has ping pong been more exciting.

Marty Supreme will deservedly be a strong Oscars contender. It will be nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and potentially Best Supporting Actor/Actress. Marty Supreme closes out the year with a strong film and arguably the film of the year.

Grade: A

What did you think of Marty Supreme? Leave your comments below.