Film Review: Marty Supreme

5 Stars

By Joseph Beyer | Jan. 10, 2026

Try as I might not to absorb too much about a film before seeing it, outside the usual trailers and teasers, I couldn’t help but notice how many people online seemed genuinely worked up about the new Timothée Chalamet thriller (?) Marty Supreme. The film is making a splash, and seems to be crescendoing at the perfect trophy-season moment. Chalamet is the undeniable lead of the film, along with one of its producers, and recently won Best Actor honors at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

So I was prepared for anything when I finally sat down at the AMC to see what this period drama set in the 1950s of New York was all about. With no spoilers I’m here to warn you … that I unapologetically loved it.

That’s because it’s a genuinely classic sports movie about the true origins of table tennis and reminded me at times (believe it or not) of Raging Bull. And because it’s a genuinely classic hustler film in the playful vein of The Sting. And a riveting allegorical morality tale about a second-generation American immigrant fighting to survive. And because it has the beating heart of a twisted love story like Badlands. But probably more than anything else, it’s because the film is all spun together by an electrified actor whose talents onscreen are undeniable.

Chalamet brings the manic character of Marty Mauser, a scheming but brilliant competitor on a quest to prove himself to the world, to vivid and memorable life using a multi-leveled acting language he’s created just for this world. Call it Tragic Realism.

Among just a few of the cast backing him up are the superlovely-to-see-her-acting-again Gwyneth Paltrow as a fading starlet and secret lover; hot off HBO’s I Love L.A. series Odessa A'zion as the gentle Bonnie to Chalamet’s Clyde; an unrecognizable Fran Drescher; legend Abel Ferrara as a mafioso dog lover; and Penn Jillette as a terror straight out of Deliverance.

Perhaps most surprising is Shark Tank’s “Mr. Wonderful” Kevin O’Leary as an ink-and-pen baron who becomes Marty’s benefactor, of sorts. Far from a stunty cameo, O’Leary delivers a truly talented and thorough performance that displays unknown skills and adds chops to an already phenomenally good ensemble, with kudos to casting director Jennifer Venditti.

There’s little surprise that in the hands of indie-centric director and co-writer Josh Safdie (recently and amicably split from his longtime creative partner and sibling Benny; together the duo was behind such hyper-kinetic movies as Good Time and Uncut Gems), this film’s pace is as relentless as a runaway subway car.

But this Safdie knows when to squeeze the brakes and takes moments to let you catch your breath—then go even deeper with his fascinatingly flawed characters.

Just book a ticket and clear a little headspace for the 2 hour and 29 minute journey that may not always seem like it will finally come together. For me it did, and I think it’s one the most unique endings since The Sopranos.

With such a spirited year of big-screen dramas already, Marty Supreme should absolutely be sitting at the Oscars table. It has all the makings of that unique movie that offers an almost retro-cinematic experience: brilliant and absurd comedy, true drama, riveting action, heartbreaking love, crimes, punishment, sex, the mob, revenge, and finally, possible redemption.

In Marty Supreme, you’ll find a story that twists and bends conventions (the score alone is a beguiling puzzle), and maybe it won’t fit into any one label. What else would you expect from producers and distributors A24, who have made these inspiring mashups a genre of their own?

Now playing exclusively in theaters, Marty Supreme is rated R for adult language, sexual content, violence against men and dogs, and a true glimpse of Timothee Chalamet’s ass being slapped with a table-tennis paddle. (Sorry, one spoiler. Happy New Year!)