Marty Supreme is now A24 Studio’s biggest movie of all time, grossing over $110 million worldwide. Photo: A24.
We’re now six weeks away from the 2026 Oscars, and as we draw closer, the race for the Best Actor Oscar may have already been decided.
Timothee Chalamet said at the 2025 SAG Awards that he was seeking greatness on par with Marlon Brando and Daniel Day-Lewis.
After seeing Chalamet in A24’s newest feature, Marty Supreme, it’s hard to argue that he isn’t at least on the way to accomplishing his lofty aspirations.
Marty Supreme follows the superb table tennis player Marty Mauser in the 1950s as he attempts to raise money to travel to Japan to compete in the World Championships.
After crashing out of the British Open a few months earlier in spectacular fashion and with not a penny to his name, Marty looks to concoct any scheme, con, or hustle possible to come up with the cash.
Marty Supreme isn’t a short movie by any means, clocking in just shy of two and a half hours. Despite the chunky runtime, the movie moves at a breakneck pace.
Like director Josh Safdie’s previous works, Uncut Gems and Good Time, the film plays out more like a series of unfortunate events than a straightforward narrative.
While there is a throughline with the table tennis plotline, most of the events that take place are just a collection of schemes and the consequences Marty faces as a result of his actions.
That brings us to Marty himself. He is the definition of an anti-hero.
Everything he does is either self-centred, dangerous, or downright despicable. We shouldn’t be rooting for this guy, but like a car crash, you can’t look away.
Marty’s actions come across as so heinous in large part due to Chalamet’s performance. He is incredible.
Like Michael Scott in The Office, everything he does is to the detriment of others, or so unbelievably cringe-inducing that you can’t help but stick around to see how his actions play out.
Chalamet delivers the weasely performance needed to make the audience understand they shouldn’t be rooting for his success, while also being intriguing enough to keep them locked in to enjoy his capers.
Everything from his pathetic facial hair to his cheap suit all combine to deliver one of the best characters of the last five years.
The supporting cast is also sublime. Kevin O’Leary, Odessa A’zion, Gwyneth Paltrow and even Tyler, the Creator combine with Chalamet to produce a roster of awful yet entertaining people.
On the production side of things, the film doesn’t miss a trick.
The 1950s aesthetic is fantastic, and the film-like grain that Safdie uses makes everything feel worn out and tired. Like the characters, everything is dirty and grimy.
Even the lavish hotels seen in the film feel tarnished and grungy.
The film repeatedly notes that it is a post-World War II USA where people are still recovering, and it’s fair to say Safdie nailed both the look and the feel.
Needless to say, this film won’t be for everyone. It’s exhausting.
There is very little time to breathe between setpieces and interactions. One moment, Marty’s falling through the top floor of a hotel, and the next, he’s getting shot at.
One moment, he’s trying to wow a famous actress, the next he’s crashing out in front of thousands of people while playing table tennis.
If you can handle the constant anxiety of everything going on all at once, and the fact that there is little to no redemption for anyone, you will witness one of the best performances of the decade and one of the best movies of the year.
Marty Supreme is showing in cinemas across the country.
