Review: Marty Supreme – Bouncing back and forth

Directed by Josh Safdie
Starring Timothee Chalamet, O’Dessa A’zion, Gwenyth Paltrow, Kevin O’Leary

9/10

It’s funny to see that since their split, the Safdie Brothers have both individually released in the same year a sports movie about how utmost determination can cause incredible friction in our relationships and divert us away from maintaining them. Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine was pretty damn good, but Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme is the film of the year (last year, that is). With a vaguely similar plot to the duo’s intense last film, Uncut Gems, this absolute whirlwind of a movie shares that same frenetic DNA, amping up the tension from scene to scene to a ridiculous degree, through the eyes of an anti-hero we’d be afraid to say is, in some ways, relatable.

Set in 1957, table tennis is beginning to catch the attention of the sports world, and New York shoes salesman Marty (Timothée Chalamet) is convinced he’s the best player in the world, not just the USA. But he must gather the money to compete in competitions in London and then another in Tokyo, and he tries what he can to raise (or rather, steal) it.

Despite a lengthy run-time, Marty Supreme seems to really zip by, as it’s filled with many fairly short scenes, because Marty’s life is so frantically fast-paced as well. He has to bolt from one scenario to another, all the while in pursuit of the much-needed cash to make his ambition come true, all the while balancing the relationships in his life with friends, family, and associates as if he’s desperately running between spinning plates.

But the film has no qualms with its titular character not being likeable or endearing. He may carry some worthy charm and is dedicated to his purpose in life, but he achieves this at the expense of those around him. Marty is so opposed to being exploited in his sport, yet he makes it his mission to exploit all around him given half the chance.

Supporting Chalamet’s best performance thus far is a terrific cast that have been so specifically selected for the movie, yet they are perfect for their roles. Gwyneth Paltrow can be considered on a re-emergence for her role; O’Dessa A’zion is a revelation in her terrific character of resilience and vulnerability; the stunt casting of Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary completely pays off with how terrifically he brings his assholishness into the story; Tyler the Creator is a bundle of fun in his few scenes; obscure internet personality Luke Manley is wonderful and combative against the aggressiveness as one of the nicer people Marty knows; and seeing acclaimed cult filmmaker Abel Ferrara as a criminal searching for his dog is a massive joy.

And there’s also David Mamet, Penn Jillette, Fran Drescher, Sandra Bernhard, Philippe ‘Man on Wire’ Petit, Robert Pattinson (in an uncredited voice role as a commentator), and that homeless guy with the incredible radio voice from the viral video also all making appearances—if this film doesn’t win the very first Oscar for their new category, Best Casting, it’d be a criminal shame.

Marty Supreme is such an intoxicatingly crafted film; it must be impossible to not get swept up in it all. If there’s a more exciting and intense film about table tennis, I’d like to see it.

DAVID MORGAN-BROWN