Marty Supreme
Marty Supreme is the latest film by Josh Safdie. This is his first venture as a solo director as he has normally worked side-by-side with his brother Benny. It’s a film that stars Timothee Chalamet and is one wild ride after another. There is very little down time or time to catch your breath during this film.
The film appears, on paper, to be an underdog type of story about a ping pong star named Marty Mauser. Marty is played by Timothee Chalamet to perfection. The film ends up being so much more than a simple underdog sports type of film. It takes you on an epic adventure. Marty is an egotistical maniac who doesn’t have a single doubt in his mind about his abilities in life. This goes well beyond ping pong for the character. He will say and do just about anything, which leads to some tense and also hilarious moments.
The runtime is long at 2 hours and 30 minutes, but the film is so packed full of adrenaline that it never feels long or drawn out. It has a similar feel to Uncut Gems, but it’s more lighthearted than that film. Uncut Gems didn’t give the audience anything outside of tense, pulse pounding moments that were too much for some viewers to handle. Marty Supreme isn’t hard to watch in the least. It could certainly be labeled as fun and entertaining, which is new for Safdie as a director.
The music felt a tad bit off as it was mostly 80s themed, while the film takes place in the 1950s. The music definitely fit the pace and feel of the film, but it felt odd being 3 decades after the film takes place.
The acting was great with so many roles being played by actors and actresses known for something other than acting. This started with Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful, playing the man trying to hold Marty down. There were also roles played by Tyler the Creator and George Gervin. Marty’s love interests were played great by Odessa A’Zion and Gwyneth Paltrow. They both go through a ton as Marty is anything but an easy partner. You never quite know if he actually loves anyone or is using them to get something out of them.
Marty Supreme is a film that has just about everything. Just when you think the plot might be slowing down and settling in, something off the wall happens. Like when Marty goes to take a seemingly normal bath and ends up falling through the floor of his shoddy hotel room that sets off a chain of events unlike any other.
Go into this film with an open mind. You will be watching a film unlike just about anything else you’ve ever seen. There are a ton of qualities to enjoy, even if it’s not quite the masterpiece some are calling it.
Overall: 8 out of 10.
Lead image courtesy of A24
