Marty Supreme Delivers Non-Stop Action… and Table Tennis

Official A24 Marty Supreme Poster. This poster portrays the main character, Marty Mauser, completing the “A.” The poster is intentionally devoid of color, with the only notable source being Marty’s ping pong paddle. Photo Credits: A24

By Ian Biles, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn 

The newest film from critically acclaimed director Josh Safdie is a unique, fast-paced thrill ride about: table tennis. The film, set largely in 1950’s New York City, follows Marty Mauser, a Jewish American “professional” ping-pong player, as he tries and struggles to make a name for himself in the world of Table tennis. The film’s main character is loosely based on a real person, ping pong player Marty Reisman, and the events of his autobiography, “The Money Player: The Confessions of America’s Greatest Table Tennis Champion and Hustler”.  Although I was initially skeptical of the movie, it proved to be a well-crafted film that covered some deep topics while still maintaining a non-stop energetic tone. 

In Marty Supreme’s nearly 150-minute run time, there isn’t a break. The movie ducks and weaves through busy New York Streets, to London, back to New York, and as far as Tokyo, Japan, without missing a beat. In the film, director Safdie uses long, uncut shots to thrust the audience into the movie’s overwhelming atmosphere. This directing style, in addition to a crowded and loud set design, gives the movie a unique feeling. Marty Supreme is designed to stress out the audience, and it does that extremely well. 

These directing elements are combined with excellent performances from the cast. Timothee Chalamet is excellent as Mauser, and his performance is supported by others of the same caliber. My favorite performance from the movie was from Tyler Okonma--more commonly known as Tyler, the Creator--as Wally. Wally’s character largely serves as comic relief to offset the movie's serious tone. Safdie utilizes this character well; he appears sparingly and makes a comedic impact without taking away from the movie's message.

Marty Supreme is one of those movies that can be interpreted in many different ways.  While the story is in-your-face, the underlying messages are subtle but meaningful. I believe Marty Supreme is a film about obsession. The main character is crafted to be rooted for, but is not necessarily a good person. This unique combo adds to the stress of the movie. The audience wants to like Marty, but the more he lies and steals, the more the audience realizes that this isn’t an inspirational sports movie; this is obsession through the lens of a narcissist. 

Although the movie is extremely well done, it is not without flaws. The film suffers from an excess of plot lines that converge towards the end of the movie in a messy and confusing way. Specifically, the plotline with the gangster’s dog was in my opinion unneeded and received way too much screen time towards the end.  This excess of plotlines adds to what I feel is its main flaw: runtime. The movie is 2 ½ hours of non-stop action and stress, and it should be shorter.  The excess of plotlines and the constant addition of minor characters cause the middle section of the movie to lose its charm.

Marty Supreme is above all a unique movie. It combines great performances with Josh Safdie’s unique directing style to create a movie that leaves a lasting impact on its audience. If you can handle the 2 ½ hour runtime, Mary Supreme is a great movie that’s worth watching.