MARTY SUPREME REVIEW
“A terrific vehicle for what a fine actor Chalamet has become.”
I’ve never been the biggest fan of the Safdies, though I did like Uncut Gems and also quite enjoyed Bennie Safdie’s The Smashing Machine earlier this year. Now along comes brother Josh Safdie with his own solo directorial debut, and it’s a very different movie from his previous films, although like his brother’s recent movie, it’s also a period film. Once again co-writing with Ronald Bronstein, who was involved with all previous Safdie films, the movie stars Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a young man working at his uncle’s shoe store on the Lower East Side in the early ‘50s, who has aspirations of being the world’s greatest table tennis champion.
Marty has a girlfriend named Rachel (Odessa A’zion), who he manages to impregnate even before the opening titles roll. Later on, we’ll learn that she’s married to another man, played by Emory Cohen, but by then, Marty’s off to the UK to represent the United States in the prestigious table tennis championships. In England, he meets Gwyneth Paltrow’s glamorous actress Kay Stone, who is married to wealthy pen magnate, Milton Rockwell, played by none other than Kevin O’Leary (aka “Mr. Wonderful” from “Shark Tank” in a rare dramatic role). Things don’t go so well for Marty when he faces Japan’s championship Koto Endo (played by actual table tennis champ Koto Kawaguchi), so he’s itching for a rematch, though he’s hesitant to get into bed with Rockwell as a sponsor, after literally getting into bed with his wife. (Cue the rimshot.)
To say much more about the plot would be an injustice to the surprises Safdie has in store for the viewer, but essentially, the film’s middle section involves Marty engaging in several quick scams to raise enough money to travel to Japan for a rematch against Endo. At one point, this involves teaming with his pal Wally (Tyler the Creator) to make money by hustling New Jersey yokels into ping pong matches they can’t possibly win, which may or may not be a real thing. In fact, it’s difficult to determine if there’s absolutely any historical accuracy to anything we see in Marty Supreme, including the popularity of table tennis at the time.
There’s a constant, frenetic energy to Marty Supreme, not unlike Uncut Gems, and also a bit like If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, the latest film from Bronstein’s wife Mary Bronstein, which was co-produced by Josh Safdie. This is mostly in the middle section, which is less about Marty’s aspirations to be world table tennis champion, and more about getting that quick cash. The movie hits its stride once Marty’s girlfriend Rachel returns, and it’s at that point when Odessa A’zion almost steals the movie, as we learn that Rachel is as much of a player and scam artist as Marty, making them the perfect match. That’s not to discount the return of Gwyneth Paltrow, but she plays a much smaller role than some might be expecting.
Mauser is unapologetically arrogant, which makes this one of Chalamet’s harder characters to outright like, though Marty does grow on you, even as he is trying to find ways to scam everyone who puts their trust in him. Probably one of the film’s greatest achievements, besides Safdie and Bronstein’s screenplay, is the eclectic casting around Chalamet by casting director Jennifer Venditti, including a few mentioned above, but also casting indie filmmaker Abel Ferrara (whose own films may have influenced the Safdies), Penn Jilette, and others not often seen in dramatic roles.
While it’s obvious that Josh Safdie may be the better director than his brother, aided by the impressive heads of department he assembled, both of them found the perfect production designers to realize the eras represented within their films. I may have a softer spot in my heart for the work done by Jack Fisk (an Oscar-nominated art department legend!) on Marty Supreme, since many of the New York locations are in my very own neighborhood.
Marty Supreme is a terrific vehicle for what a fine actor Chalamet has become, and it’s deserving of many Oscar nominations, particularly for Chalamet, its original screenplay, and the casting. That said, it won’t be for everyone, and the insanely manic middle section might turn anyone off, who may just be expecting a quirkier take on the sports drama by Safdie.
Rating: 7.5/10
Mickey Supreme arrives in theaters on Christmas Day, but it will get some limited 70mm engagements in New York and L.A. on December 18.