What would you do to ensure your dreams became a reality? This question is answered by director Josh Safdie’s 2025 film, Marty Supreme. Marty Supreme takes place in the 1950s and follows the story of Marty Mauser (portrayed by Timothée Chalamet), a fictional table tennis player loosely inspired by the real athlete and champion Marty Reisman. The film depicts Mauser as he stops at nothing to ensure he is the greatest table tennis player in the world.
Timothée Chalamet delivers one of the best performances of his career—if not the definitive one—bringing depth, charisma and anger to such a complex role.Marty Mauser, like most protagonists in Safdie films, is a deeply flawed character. Throughout the film, Marty shows he is willing to do anything for his dream, no matter how it affects others.
While Marty is extremely flawed, Chalamet’s performance manages to endear the audience to him by adding charm to the role and showcasing a determination and drive to be regarded as one of the greats in the acting world. This mirrors Marty’s passion for becoming the greatest table tennis player of all time. Many actors could have made Marty a one-note character that the audience hated, completely missing the mark on what the film and character needed to be.
However, Chalamet makes the viewer care for and relate to Marty in his unguarded moments; we root for him to succeed despite his failures and to improve even after he reveals his flawed and often despicable nature. Chalamet is the perfect actor for the role of Marty Mauser, as he shares his mentality of striving for greatness. He brings the mindset and determination of an athlete to his craft.
Chalamet delivers a top-tier performance, but the great acting doesn’t stop there. The film is packed with talented actors playing compelling characters. The three roles that stand out most, aside from Chalamet’s, are Odessa A’zion as Rachel Mizler, Gwyneth Paltrow as Kay Stone, and Tyler, the Creator as Wally. Both the actors and their characters share strong chemistry with Chalamet’s Mauser.
Rachel and Marty have a unique relationship that is toxic and somewhat manipulative at times, yet tender and endearing at others. It shows they care deeply for one another and understand one another in ways no one else does.Meanwhile, Marty and Kay’s unexpected relationship is one of the film’s most interesting aspects. It illustrates how two performers, both aiming for greatness, share the same final goal. Their age gap leads Marty to portray himself as more mature than he is, while also appearing more childlike and youthful. Kay, having already achieved greatness, acts as a mentor figure to Marty, making their relationship at times quite disturbing.
Wally and Marty form the dynamic duo that adds much of the film’s charm. Tyler, the Creator, and Timothée Chalamet have such chemistry that whenever they share the screen, they fully disappear into their roles. They truly capture the essence of two friends goofing off, providing a welcome break from the intense stress of the rest of the story.
Director Josh Safdie has a distinct style, and Marty Supreme fits well within his catalog. This film was directed solely by Safdie, though most of his past projects have been collaborative efforts with his brother, Benny Safdie. The Safdie brothers are best known for their films Good Time and Uncut Gems, which share many similarities with Marty Supreme.
The Safdies have a talent for creating projects that evoke stress and anxiety in viewers, often through tightly plotted stories that leave little room to breathe. This sense of tension pairs well with a film about sports, as it helps keep viewers engaged during long stretches of table tennis, mimicking the feeling of watching and being invested in real sporting events.
Another reason viewers are so invested in the table tennis matches and want Marty to win is that the outcome—whether he wins or loses—would impact his character and perspective. Marty begins the film already convinced he is the greatest player in the world. His ego and pride are among his defining traits, leading him to have a loud mouth that often gets him into trouble.This makes his relationship with his rival, Koto Endo, particularly interesting as Endo is deaf and unaffected by Marty’s rambunctious personality. Their one-sided rivalry is one of the film’s most compelling aspects and is amplified by the realism of the table tennis play. This was achieved by casting an actual table tennis player as Endo and by Chalamet spending years practicing for the role (further demonstrating his dedication to the film).
Marty Supreme is a film packed with stress, intrigue and dedication. The cast delivers some of the best performances of their careers, and Josh Safdie amplifies his time-tested filmmaking style while still subverting expectations throughout. Overall, Marty Supreme is what happens when great, dedicated artists assemble to put their all into a project. It exemplifies what it means to strive for greatness, refuse failure and stop at nothing to pursue a calling. It exemplifies what it means to dream big.
