As far as sports dramas go, Marty Supreme is one of the most unique and entertaining ones out there. Directed by Josh Safdie, the film blends multiple different genres together to subvert expectations on what a sports drama can be. Couple all of that with another award-worthy performance from Timothee Chalamet, and the result is one of the best films of 2025.
Marty Supreme is loosely based on the life and career of American table tennis player Marty Reisman. Set in the 1950s, the film follows Marty Mouser (yes, there’s a name change) as he goes from working as a shoe salesman to becoming a prolific table tennis player with dreams of winning multiple tournaments to bring American attention to the sport. This does not end up going smoothly, as many issues both personally and professionally threaten Marty’s dreams of becoming the top dog.
First, let’s get the obvious out of the way: Timothee Chalamet is brilliant as Marty Mouser. This might be a career-best performance from him in a young career already featuring multiple outstanding performances. He is no doubt going to once again be in the thick of the Oscar race. The rest of the cast holds up their end of the bargain, but this is Chalamet’s movie through and through. Where he goes, this movie goes, and he soars very high here.
At its core though, this is a film with much more to offer than just an excellent star performance. One of its many strengths is how it blends multiple genres to create something that feels fresh and entertaining. The film works as a sports drama, but it almost feels like a heist movie as well, similar to Safdie’s Uncut Gems. Without going into too much detail to avoid spoilers, Marty is very often on the move due to circumstances involving money, which creates feelings of tension and on-edge. The pacing also helps with this, as the movie is fast paced, but never too fast. This allows enough time to flesh out the characters while also keeping the plot going at a relentless, intense pace. There’s also some sprinkles of comedy here and there to keep things light enough. Safdie’s script, which he co-wrote with frequent collaborator Ronald Bronstein, is sharp, quick-witted, and consistently engaging.
There isn’t much at fault with the film. With a runtime of 150 minutes, perhaps it could have been a little shorter. With how well it’s paced though, it’s not too much of an issue. Again, it’s a testament to how well written it is. I fully expect this film to get nominated for and win multiple awards come award season time. Chalamet will be up for best actor of course, and I can see it at the very least getting nominations for screenplay, production design, cinematography, best picture, and probably a few others. There’s no question that Marty Supreme is an impressive piece of work in many aspects.
Rating: 4.5/5
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