I had the immense privilege of attending an early screening of MARTY SUPREME over a month before the film’s release. This was a blessing and a curse: I got to see one of the best films of the decade in such a special way, but absolutely no one to talk to about it. I have been counting down the seconds until the embargo dropped so that I could tell everyone and anyone that you must see MARTY SUPREME in theaters the second it is released.
MARTY SUPREME stars Timothée Chalamet in a career-defining performance as Marty Mauser, a table tennis player looking to become a champion. The film is directed by Josh Safdie (his first solo project since splitting from his brother, Benny Safdie). You might know Safdie from his work on GOOD TIME or, most notably, UNCUT GEMS. The film was distributed by A24 and will undoubtedly be their submission for the 2026 Academy Awards, similar to what we saw this year with THE BRUTALIST. A24 also released a film this year called THE SMASHING MACHINE, and that film almost feels like a precursor to MARTY SUPREME because of how many elements it shares as a dramatic biopic; however, MARTY SUPREME succeeds in just about every way that THE SMASHING MACHINE didn’t. MARTY SUPREME is utterly amazing, and a near-perfect film.
This film would not have succeeded without Timothée Chalamet’s talent. Like Marty himself, I truly believe Chalamet is pursuing greatness. I wholeheartedly believe his raw talent, charisma, and versatility will take him so far, and he has a genuine chance to be amongst the greats. From Wonka (WONKA) to Laurie (LITTLE WOMEN) to Marty (MARTY SUPREME) and every role he’s played in between, he steals every second he’s on screen. I think he was robbed of his Oscar this year, but I can see a bright future ahead of him, so I trust he’ll get what he deserves. He has some incredibly tough competition this season (going up against Michael B. Jordan for SINNERS and Leonardo DiCaprio for ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER), so it is understandable if he doesn’t sweep, but I will still be incredibly heartbroken. He takes a mediocre character who can, frankly, be quite annoying at times and turns him into a legend. He breathes life into someone we don’t have much reason to care about. Marty’s irritation and egotism are turned into charm and confidence. We are rooting for someone who hasn’t done anything that remarkable, but we just want to see Timothée win. He is funny, clever, and has an incredibly sharp tongue. He will make you laugh, cry, and feel incredibly inspired to pursue your dreams. His performance as Marty Mauser will go down as one of the greats, and I believe we will be talking about it for years to come.
Supporting Chalamet in the cast is Odessa A’zion as Marty’s girlfriend, Rachel, who does a phenomenal job and goes from being a one-off side character to someone who dominates her screen time. She is absolutely gorgeous and is very complex, something I do think people will bring up a lot when discussing this movie and her character arc. There is Gwyneth Paltrow as the silent-film star Kay Stone. Paltrow does as much as she can for a character that is not the most memorable; she’s great on screen, but not a performance you’ll write home about. A surprising casting and performance for me was Kevin O’ Leary (or as some of you might know him, “Mr. Wonderful”) as Milton Rockwell, Kay’s husband and pen businessman. Rockwell is also one of the main antagonists of the film. I grew up watching SHARK TANK, so it was very interesting to see him on the big screen. He is basically just playing himself in real life, but for someone who isn’t an actor, he really puts on a terrific performance. Tyler Okonma (known professionally as American rapper, Tyler, the Creator) is hilarious as Marty’s best friend, Wally. He doesn’t have many scenes, but his time in the film is very memorable and among the best moments in the story. There’s also Fran Drescher and Abel Ferrara as Marty’s mom and stepfather, respectively. I mention them because they are two icons, but they don’t add that much to the film.
This was the most anxious I’ve ever been in a theater, and that’s a high bar because of how often I see new thrillers and horror films. There were moments that I was literally on the edge of my seat. I laughed out loud a lot, and the whole audience shared many audible reactions. I didn’t know it was possible to make a ping-pong match that intense. Josh Safdie brings his skills with anxiety-ridden scenes to great use in this film, making every stake feel incredibly high. You never know what’s going to happen next and what the characters might say or do. He emphasizes the power of dreams and the importance of fighting for your dream, no matter what it may be. While ping-pong might not be the most exciting sport, the journey Marty goes on will inspire many. It’s not just about wanting to win the completions; it’s an inner battle of greatness and wanting to achieve something bigger than yourself. It addresses what winning really means and when you’ve truly peaked. Sometimes it doesn’t matter about a trophy or prize; it’s the self-fulfillment that is your reward. Both Marty and Timothée are pursuing greatness, and I hope the audience can relate to that journey the way I did.
I feel very bittersweet about the film’s music. There are two big songs, one at the very beginning and one at the end. While the film is set in the 50’s, both songs used are from the 80’s. The needle drops are perfection and fit the script immaculately, but they take you out of the moment for a second because of the drastic shift in eras. While I loved both songs used, I will not be surprised if people don’t care for the switch in decades. The score switches from a big instrumental composition (very akin to THE BRUTALIST) to an ’80s synth backing. I loved when it felt big and bold, and definitely didn’t care for the moments that felt like a generic biopic score. When the score is huge and pairs with the cacophony on screen, we get something fantastic. When it switches to the simplified synth melody, it doesn’t support the scenes as much.
There’s a special moment while watching a movie, and it doesn’t happen often. That second when you’re watching a film and notice that the world of the physical theater has disappeared from your peripheral. You see nothing but the film itself, almost as if you are an unseen character in the scene. Then you start to adjust your eyes and realize you zoned out, completely focused on what was happening. Every thought that didn’t pertain to what was happening in the film disappears, and you are left hanging onto every word the characters are saying. This happened so much in MARTY SUPREME, moments where a scene would end, and I would remember I was in a theater watching this movie with 100+ other people. I am lucky if this happens during a really good movie, once or maybe even twice. But I would say that during MARTY SUPREME, there were about 5 or 6 moments that I caught myself leaving the theater and fully in the world of 1950s New York. It reminded me why I love film, the power it has to transport you to entirely new worlds. A truly great film with perfect writing, acting, and directing doesn’t just make you think, it dissipates your thoughts and pulls you into the world. I need reminders like this while going through the grueling process of applying for college. The magic cinema and dreams resonated very deeply with me during this time in my life, and I’m forever grateful to MARTY SUPREME for reminding me of that.
Marty Supreme is a truly epic film, a triumph in every cinematic aspect. It is deeply compelling, and while it does have a longer runtime (2 and 1/2 hours), every second is worth it. There was not a single moment when I wanted the scene to end or move on to something else. If you have the attention span, then the pacing is perfect. Timothée is a genius and might not get all the recognition he deserves for this role, but he will live on when it’s recognized later for the work he did in it. As of December 1st, MARTY SUPREME falls third on my top films of 2025 list, falling behind SINNERS and THE LONG WALK– but before ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER and F1. I would tell you when you can see it, but I think Timothée Chalamet says it best: “Marty Supreme Christmas Day.”
Dream Big.
MARTY SUPREME in theaters on December 25th.
