Key Takeaways:
- Timothée Chalamet leads Josh Safdie’s new film, “Marty Supreme,” as a chaotic table tennis hustler in the 1950s.
- The movie is described as a high-energy, “screwball nightmare” comedy with a frantic pace that mirrors a ping pong rally.
- Gwyneth Paltrow makes a stylish return to the screen in a much-praised supporting role as a retired movie star.
- Early reviews hail the film as a sensational and dizzying cinematic experience, showcasing Chalamet’s dynamic performance.
Director Josh Safdie is serving up a “spectacular screwball ping-pong nightmare” with his new film, “Marty Supreme,” starring Timothée Chalamet in a role that’s already earning smash reviews. The movie promises a marathon sprint of gonzo calamities and uproar, centered on the dizzying world of a 1950s table tennis prodigy.
Chalamet Serves an Unforgettable Performance
Timothée Chalamet takes on the role of Marty Mauser, a motormouth hustler loosely inspired by the real-life U.S. table tennis champion Marty “The Needle” Reisman. Known for his showmanship and betting antics, the character provides Chalamet with a canvas for what is described as a hilarious and unstoppable “live-wire twitch” of a performance.
As Marty, a young Jewish man working in a New York shoe shop, he dreams of conquering the world of table tennis while patenting his own brand of ball, the “Marty Supreme.” His journey from a local shop to the championships at Wembley is anything but straightforward, filled with frantic deal-making, bad-taste jokes, and relentless energy.
A Star-Studded Rally with Gwyneth Paltrow
Adding to the film’s appeal is the celebrated return of Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays Kay Stone, a retired movie star who becomes the object of Marty’s erotic obsession. Critics are praising Paltrow for her stylish and witty performance, noting that she provides a clever and sensual counterweight to Chalamet’s “thrumming narcissism.” Her character is said to understand Marty better than he understands himself, creating a compelling on-screen dynamic.
Safdie’s Dizzying Directorial Style
Josh Safdie, known for his intense filmmaking, reportedly brings the frantic rhythm of table tennis into every scene. The film is less a traditional sports movie and more an embodiment of the game itself—a dizzying, back-and-forth rally of chaos and absurdity.
Rather than focusing on training montages or mentor-student relationships, “Marty Supreme” uses the sport as a backdrop for a character study in ambition, self-pity, and desperation. The result is a cinematic experience that leaves you feeling as if you’ve been watching a 149-minute rally, with every scene clattering with spectacular energy. The film follows Marty’s frantic attempts to claw together cash for a rematch against his Japanese nemesis, Koto Endo, leading to a nonstop meltdown of pure chaos.
Despite the protagonist’s often reprehensible actions, the story reportedly culminates in a poignant moment of maturity, making “Marty Supreme” a truly unique and wild ride.
Marty Supreme is set to be released on December 25 in the US, December 26 in the UK, and January 22 in Australia.
Image Referance: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/01/marty-supreme-review-timothee-chalamet-ping-pong-table-tennis