Marty Supreme (English) Review {2.5/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion
Director: Josh Safdie
Marty Supreme Movie Review Synopsis:
MARTY SUPREME is the story of an expert table tennis player. The year is 1952. In New York, Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) works as a shoe salesman at his uncle Murray’s (Larry 'Ratso' Sloman) shop. His interest lies in playing table tennis professionally. He's exceptional at the sport and needs money to head to London to participate in the British Open. Murray owes him $700 and he refuses to part with the money to Marty, fearing that he would quit the job. Marty takes his pay at gunpoint from his coworker Lloyd (Ralph Colucci). In London, he defeats champion Béla Kletzki (Géza Röhrig) and convinces the International Table Tennis Association (ITTA) members to let him stay in the expensive Ritz Hotel. He bumps into yesteryear film actor Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) at the Ritz and seduces her. Things go downhill from here on. He fails to defeat Japanese player Koto Endo (Koto Kawaguchi) in the finals. Back home in New York, Marty is arrested for stealing from Murray and he escapes from the cops. While the cops are looking out for him, he gets into the bad books of a mobster, Ezra Mishkin (Abel Ferrara). He is short of money while his married friend Rachel Mizler (Odessa A'zion) is pregnant with his child and wants to begin a relationship with him. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Marty Supreme Movie Story Review:
Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie's story has the trademark Oscar-worthy stamp all over. Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie's screenplay is edgy and has loads of entertaining moments. The dialogues are simple and raise laughs in a few scenes. As it happens with most films released by PVR Inox Pictures, there are no subtitles and hence, some dialogues might not be easy to comprehend.
Josh Safdie's direction is decent. The writing is novel and amusing and Josh plays on it well, for most parts. Marty is shown to be an expert manipulator who can go to any lengths to succeed in his endeavour. This aspect of the film is the most memorable. His relationship with Kay and Rachael is also worth watching. The finale is gripping.
On the flipside, the film is too long, at 152 minutes. A few scenes appear stretched. It's a talk-heavy film and the absence of subtitles can lead to the audience struggling to fully comprehend the dialogues. The film lacks an emotional core. Hence, though one is amused by Marty's antics, one doesn't necessarily root for him. But in the end, the makers expect us to do so and that creates a bit of an imbalance. Lastly, the release period may prove detrimental.
Marty Supreme Movie Review Performances:
Timothée Chalamet arguably delivers his career-best act. The way he has gone completely into the skin of his character is something to be seen to be believed. He definitely deserves the Oscar nomination. Gwyneth Paltrow is too good in a supporting role. Odessa A'zion plays a challenging part with ease. Kevin O'Leary (Milton Rockwell; Kay's husband) has a crucial part and leaves a mark. The same goes for Luke Manley (Dion; who lives with his parents). Koto Kawaguchi is excellent in a small part. Fran Drescher (Rebecca; Marty's mother) is decent, but she doesn’t have much to do and is abruptly forgotten. Abel Ferrara, Larry 'Ratso' Sloman, Ralph Colucci, Tyler Okonma (Wally; cab driver) and others do well.
Marty Supreme movie music and other technical aspects:
Daniel Lopatin's music has a retro vibe. Darius Khondji's cinematography is praiseworthy and immersive, especially in the table tennis scenes. Jack Fisk's production design is reminiscent of the bygone era. Miyako Bellizzi's costumes are authentic. Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie's editing could have been slicker.
Marty Supreme Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, MARTY SUPREME works best for its crazy, offbeat moments and Timothée Chalamet’s award-worthy performance. The film’s 9 Oscar nominations have amplified the curiosity, but its talk-heavy and deliberately niche treatment will largely cater to a select audience. Moreover, arriving alongside BORDER 2 and two other Hollywood releases could further limit its theatrical impact.