Marty Supreme

Co-writer-director Josh Safdie continues his meteoric rise to auteur status with Marty Supreme, a frenzied spin through the life of a fast-talking young hustler in 1950s New York. Table tennis virtuoso Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) is burdened with the glorious purpose of winning championships to prove he is the best, and thereby legitimizing the sport in the U.S. These are lofty ambitions for a kid who works in his uncle’s shoe store. Between impregnating his married neighbor, Rachel (Odessa A’zion), and robbing his uncle’s store at gunpoint, Marty stays busy cobbling together cash for his flight to London for the British Open.

In London, Marty finds two things he didn’t expect: A dazzling Japanese competitor named Endo (Koto Kawaguchi), and a beautiful Hollywood film star past her prime, Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow). After he seduces Stone and then is beaten by Endo he set his sights on competing in the World Championship in Tokyo. He must face Endo again at any cost. Back in New York he finds Rachel about to give birth and homeless after her husband throws her out. Marty sets off on an elaborate, improvised series of misadventures to make money, find a place for Rachel, and get to Tokyo. At no point is Marty ever discouraged. He rolls with the punches and propels himself forward to overcome every barrier, fix his mistakes, and live his dream.

“Table tennis virtuoso Marty Mauser is burdened with the glorious purpose of winning championships…”

Marty’s unstoppable drive is both admirable and destructive. He gives no thought to who gets hurt in his whirlwind path. He sacrifices friends as quickly as he does enemies and would climb a wall of their bones to get what he wants. His charisma is quick and persuasive, but after he’s gone the reality sinks in. Rachel learns this the hard way going through her pregnancy alone. The audience roots for Marty, but we’re never sure why we feel that way. If you invited him over for a drink, he’d be the toast of the party, but you’d hide your cash and make sure your wife was happy with you, because he could leave with both if you’re not careful. The film starts fast and accelerates through conflicts Marty encounters, most of which he creates for himself. He is often his own worst enemy, but each time he falls, he dusts himself off and wades back in.

Safdie and co-writer Ronald Bronstein based their script loosely on the exploits of real life American table tennis star, Marty Reisman, who did many of the things depicted in the film. Marty Supreme is filled with humor, thrilling action, and the joie de vivre of a young man who correctly believes he is bound for greatness. This is set off by a killer soundtrack featuring songs by Alphaville, Peter Gabriel, and Tears for Fears. The opening credit sequence is nearly identical to that of the 1993 film Who’s Talking Now, for another splash of nostalgia. Safdie has created a barely-controlled-heart-attack masterpiece of a film, which is the pinnacle of his work so far.