In Josh Safdie’s breathless, unrelenting and wickedly humorous debut as sole-director, Timothée Chalamet plays the eponymous quick-witted Marty, who desperately strives to avoid a banal existence as a New York shoe salesman and answer his higher-calling to become a global table tennis superstar.
Perhaps better known as one half of the Safdie Brothers filmmaking duo, Marty Supreme is Josh Safdie’s first truly solo work without any involvement from his younger sibling, Benny. 2025 also saw the release of Benny’s first solo outing, The Smashing Machine, interestingly another sports biopic (of sorts). But where The Smashing Machine was a deliberately-paced and quietly introspective personal drama, Marty Supreme retains the snappy, sharp dialogue and high-pressure kineticism of the brothers’ earlier collaborations, Good Time and Uncut Gems. It’s impressive that a film of two and half hours can feel sub-ninety minutes, and whilst it would be tempting to deduce the qualities Josh brought to the brothers’ partnership, it’s worth noting that the later three films were also co-written with Ronald Bronstein. But it is undeniable that Josh is a talented “actors’ director”, having supposedly hired approximately 140 people with zero previous acting experience – a bold choice, but one that pays off. Safdie manages to coax smooth and natural performances out of his entire cast, despite the lack of IMDB credentials. Special mention must go to a scene stealing Kevin O’Leary, (from US reality show Shark Tank) who slips into the role of spitefall – and in one uncomfortable scene, sadistic – business tycoon with worrying ease.
Not all the cast are novices though – it’s nice to see Gwyneth Paltrow back on the screen, and in something other than a Marvel film, or as a saleswoman of dubiously-scented candles… this is a pleasant reminder that she can actually act and her presence is welcome. But this is Chalamet’s film. He appears in all but a smattering of scenes, and demands your attention in every single one. He plays Marty with all the cocky swagger, impatient contempt, and yearning ambition that he poured into his portal of Willy Wonka in 2023’s Wonka. Incidentally, during the shooting of that film, Chalamet would spend his time in between shots honing his table tennis skills in preparation for Marty – it’s no wonder the characters have bled into each other. The two films would make for a wild, yet oddly thematic double-feature.
In this film, Marty makes some supremely suspect moral decisions in his pursuit of greatness, and it’s a testament to both the writing and Chalamet’s talent that the audience largely remains on his side throughout the duration of the runtime. His plight is simple and relatable – he has a dream and the abilities to achieve it, but the path to his goal is frequently hampered (often by his own short-comings), and the further his dream slips away, the more desperate he becomes, the looser his morals. Chalamet’s performance is full of charisma, and he strikes the perfect balance between loathsome arrogance, underdog endearment, and pathetic opportunism. He is becoming a fine actor, perhaps amongst the best of his generation, and his choices in film roles are commendable, seemingly carefully selected to allow him to explore the full range of the human condition. He doesn’t shy away from the uglier aspects of his characters – desire, greed, humiliation – indeed, he throws himself into them with gusto. When the accolades come calling, he is well positioned to answer.
Marty Supreme is screening at Plymouth Arts Cinema from Friday 16th – Thursday 22nd January.
Reviewed by Matthew Onuki Luke
