We are fully in the era of Timotheé Chalamet as the next great movie star. As much as Glenn Powell thought he’d be the one to inherit the title from Tom Cruise, Chalamet has shown that he has the goods to fully take the mantle.
After convincing Gen Z audiences to fully appreciate the work and artistry of Bob Dylan with 2024’s A Complete Unknown, Chalamet’s latest project, Marty Supreme, has cemented his status as one of the greats. An R-rated ping pong movie making over $30 million during a Christmas opening weekend is nothing short of spectacular. Chalamet is the people’s champ.
This time around, Chalamet has teamed up with director Josh Safdie to bring to life the story of Marty Mauser, a fictional ping pong star from the tenement houses of New York City’s Lower East Side. The script, penned by Safdie and longtime collaborator, Ronald Bronstein, is based loosely on the real-life “Marty Supreme”, Marty Reisman.
The Marty of Marty Supreme, however, is a character defined by his unique brand of New York hustler spirit. He scams, swindles, and bamboozles his way through life in order to prove his worth as an international ping pong sensation. Chalamet plays the Mauser character with full bravado and brutish determination.
The blurring of where Mauser begins and where Chalamet ends is one of the great joys of viewing Marty Supreme. Although this isn’t Chalamet’s first foray into producing (he also produced Bones and All and A Complete Unknown), his status as producer here is a fascinating and illuminating factoid.
Over the last year or so, Chalamet’s public persona has taken shape in telling ways. His desire to reach the pantheon of great American actors is worn proudly on his sleeves and is repeatedly communicated. The binding between Mauser and the real-life Chalamet is startling yet completely unsurprising.
In ways, Mauser is an exaggerated version of Chalamet. But in many ways, he remains the ingenious creation of Safdie, Bronstein, Chalamet and the rest of the creative team. His antics are absurd. His hijinks bordering on too much to bear. From scene to scene of this unrelenting story audience members will be forced to ask themselves how Marty will find his way out of the current mess he’s made. And by the end of each scene, will be left to wonder where Marty will go from here.
However, that interminable ego powers Marty through. His outsized sense of self keeps him chugging along where others would call it quits. He’s burdened by his narcissism. It seemingly causes more harm to him and those around him than it brings successes and joy. His actions are compulsive. He’s not governed by the same shame or consideration that the rest of us are.
Mauser is far from a fully sympathetic protagonist. He’s cocky and frequently takes any opportunity possible to take advantage of others (even if he doesn’t register is actions as exploitative). He reveals himself to be a bit of a scumbag. He lies, cheats, and steals. However, Mauser remains so true to his identity that you can’t help but be enthralled by him. You want to see him succeed even though he gives you plenty of reason to root against him.
Along the way, Marty interacts with a whole host of folks who simultaneously propel him forward and hold him back in his quest in becoming a world ping pong champion. Among them are Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) and her husband, Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary). Paltrow is absolutely sublime as Stone, leaving you wanting so much more screentime for her character. O’Leary is perfectly cast as Rockwell – a delightfully villainous slimeball. Once again proving Safdie’s ability to get brilliant performances out of non-professional actors.
There’s also Marty’s friend and hustling partner, Wally (Tyler, The Creator) and his childhood friend/secret lover, Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion). Safdie and cinematographer Darius Khondji shoot these characters in mostly tight shots, completely immersing us in the world of Marty Supreme.
Every aspect of this film makes the world feel fully lived in – the performances, the photography, the editing, and even the set dressing. Legendary production designer, Jack Fisk, will go down as the film’s unsung hero. His masterful ability to bring to life 1950’s New York City (and some other globetrotting settings) allows the film to flourish and reach its truest heights.
You’ll just have to watch for yourself to see if Marty also reaches his truest heights. He does experience some great relief in the end, and perhaps some pure joy. But he ultimately learns that like him, Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
