Marty Supreme (2025) is an electric movie which keeps you on your toes, constantly rooting for an obsessively-egotistical character in Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Mauser – writes Haris Khawaja
Upon watching a film, you leave with a certain feeling.
Whether it’s love, melancholy or heartbreak, Marty Supreme delivered an emotional rollercoaster which landed with one of the purest forms of emotions I have ever encountered.
Pure inspiration.
This makes the fact that it didn’t win a single Oscar after nine nominations more shocking and confusing.
Written and directed by Josh Safdie (not the actor brother), who also directed critically-acclaimed films Uncut Gems and Good Time, Marty Supreme revolves around Marty Mauser, a highly ambitious ping-pong player in the 1950s who strives to be the world number one. He goes through several hardships with family and finances and is often caught in the midst of his own irrational decisions that lead to severe consequences.
In the midst of these decisions lie his best friends Wally (Tyler, The Creator) and Dion (Luke Manley), love interests Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion) and Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) and his new-found arch-nemesis Endo (Koto Kawaguchi) who takes the crown as world champion.
The premise of the story was a typical rags-to-riches film like we’ve seen plenty of times before.
Person is good at sports – person plays sports whilst going through difficulties – person wins.
So what made Marty Supreme stand out to the point it had nine Oscar nominations including best picture?
Timothée Chalamet.
I mean no disrespect to the cast and crew who worked tremendously hard or to A24 studios who continuously allow creatives full freedom.
But realistically, it was mainly Timothée’s excellence, and it quickly became HIS film.
The obsessively cocky and egotistical acting range was on full display from Chalamet, where one minute you hated him and then next you wanted to be him.
It was no wonder he was shortlisted for the Oscar.
But despite losing to Michael B Jordan, Chalamet at least struck gold with the Golden Globe for best actor.
Another reason why the film was so successful (to the point it became A24’s highest grossing movie earning $180 million) was because of the glorious campaign it had – led by Timothée himself.
He featured on hit-songs with popular rap artist Esdeekid, distributed clothing lines promoted by famous figures such as Tom Brady, Justin Bieber and even Susan Boyle (no I’m not kidding she’s back), and performed skits and stunts like flash mobs and climbing the Las Vegas Sphere.
All of it seemed excessive
But after watching the film, it all made sense.
Timothée didn’t just promote Marty Supreme, he became him. Similar to the film after leaving empty handed, Marty Supreme won the people’s hearts, showing trophies does not equal success.
