Timothée Chalamet Is A Force Of Chaos In Phenomenal Dramedy

Timothée Chalamet has never been as good as he is in Marty Supreme, director Josh Safdie’s edgy comedy-drama about a big pain in the ass and a big dream. Chalamet has steadily built a memorable career in a seemingly short period, but with Marty Mauser, he landed the role he was seemingly born to play. It’s the kind of performance you watch while thinking, “I can’t imagine anyone else in this role.” Marty is the kind of guy you probably wouldn’t want to be around for very long, since his constant ranting and rude behavior attract an endless stream of problems. However, Chalamet hits all the right notes here, making this force of chaos somehow magical. We can’t help but root for this man, even as he makes one devastating decision after another.

Like “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems,” which Safdie co-directed with his brother Benny, “Marty Supreme” is about a man who stumbles into a series of misadventures all in the name of one big break — even if it means a few other people getting hurt along the way. But “Marty Supreme” Safdie doesn’t seem to be repeating himself. Instead, it finds the director, now working alone, at his best; One of the most impressive things about the film is how controlled all this chaos is.

“Marty Supreme” is like a runaway train that could jump the tracks at any moment – but Safide and his crew are able to get him safely to the station. Everyone here does a good job (perhaps most surprisingly, none other than actor Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, who is inexperienced). very good (playing a morally questionable billionaire), but Chalamet is the key to unlocking everything. I never did I didn’t like it Chalamet, but after watching it here, I can say I finally “get” what all the fuss is about.

Inspired (loosely, I hope, for the sake of any real people involved) by the life of table tennis champion Marty Raisman, Marty Supreme is set in the 1950s and takes us into the hectic life of Marty Mauser, a New York kid with a big dream. This dream: to become a star in the world of table tennis, also known as ping pong. The game is not taken seriously in the United States, but Marty believes that if he wins big competitions abroad he will be able to change that. Marty is so focused on achieving his dream that he is in a constant hustle, running fast from place to place, all with the goal of making enough money to get where he wants.

This may seem a bit silly, and in fact, Marty Supreme has been quite funny on several occasions. But for Marty, his dream is everything. He takes it seriously, even if he leaves debris along the way. His mother (Fran Drescher) is struggling financially, and his lifelong friend Rachel (the very charming Odessa Azione) has just gotten pregnant with Marty’s child — even though she’s married to another man (Emory Cohen). Problems begin to pile up in Marty’s life, but he remains firmly convinced that once he achieves his big dream, everything will fall into place.

At some point, Marty catches the eye of Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), a famous actress who hasn’t made a movie in a few years but hopes to return to the stage. They fall into an affair, and one of the film’s most telling moments arrives during one of their post-coital interactions. When Kai pointedly asks Marty what he will do if he fails to turn his dreams into reality, he arrogantly replies: “That doesn’t even enter my consciousness.” Failure is not an option. Is Marty In reality Does he have that much blind faith in himself, or is he so terrified at the thought of the alternative that he has no choice but to keep moving forward? Chalamet handles this potential internal conflict brilliantly, finding a way to make Marty seem both completely convincing and full of shit at the same time.

As Marty continues to go in and out of sexual relations with Kay, he also catches the attention of her filthy wealthy husband, Milton Rockwell (O’Leary), who has amassed a fortune through his pen empire. Rockwell may be Marty’s golden goose, but the young man is so determined to do things his way that it causes complications. Then again, Rockwell is clearly bad news (what billionaire isn’t?), so mingling with him might not be the best idea. Through it all, Marty keeps disastrously bumping into several memorable characters played by surprising faces, like Tyler Okonma, aka Tyler, the Creator, as Marty’s ping-pong-playing friend Wally, or filmmaking legend Abel Ferrara as the owner of a potentially dangerous dog. Safdie has filled the film with eccentric and eccentric people, all of whom leave their distinctive mark on this frenetic journey.

Safdie’s direction and editing (he co-edited the picture with Ronald Bronstein) keep things moving at such a brisk pace that you’ll never feel the dizzying 149 minutes. Daniel Lopatin’s exciting score, mixed with outdated 80s pop songs on the soundtrack, gives everything a vibrant and exciting aura, as do the really exciting table tennis scenes. I don’t know how much cinematic trickery was used to make it look like Chalamet and his teammates are really playing the sport, all I know is that the movie makes these scenes look explosive and real. I never thought I’d be on the edge of my seat watching someone play ping pong, and yet, here we are.

It all makes for one action-packed film, but I suspect none of it would have come together so well without Chalamet, who is the main focus of almost every scene, save for a moment or two. If you met someone like Marty in real life, you might want to stay as far away from him as possible, yet Chalamet is so good at making this idiot likable that you’re gripped by his story – all of which builds to a shocking emotional crescendo that has real impact. This is undoubtedly the best performance of Timothée Chalamet’s career, and Marty Supreme is one of the best films of the year. I can’t wait to watch it again.

/ Movie rating: 10 out of 10

Marty Supreme will be released in theaters on December 25, 2025.