Forget everything you think you know about sports movies. A24's Marty Supreme isn't about the quiet nobility of teamwork or a clean underdog arc. Instead, director Josh Safdie delivers a fever dream of ambition, ego, and table tennis that feels like Uncut Gems colliding with The Wolf of Wall Street.
Set in the 1950s, the film stars Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a young table tennis player loosely inspired by real-life champion Marty Reisman. Chalamet's Marty doesn't just want to win—he wants to consume the world, and his volcanic hunger threatens to ruin everyone around him. It's a performance that critics have called "infectiously charismatic" and a career-defining turn for the actor.
The film has been a box office success, grossing around $125 million worldwide against a $70 million budget. It now holds a 95% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus praising it as "a propulsive epic that realizes its sky-high aspirations even while it critiques its indelible hero's toxic ambition."
Collider's Ross Bonaime described the movie as a "cinematic manifestation of Chalamet's stated pursuit of greatness," noting that Safdie's signature high-pressure storytelling, pulsing score, and gritty style create an intense, often hilarious, nerve-racking experience. Even if the film briefly loses momentum near the end, Bonaime concludes that Chalamet never backs down from the challenge and more than lives up to what is demanded of him.
The cast is a wild mix of Hollywood veterans and unexpected faces: Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary (yes, from Shark Tank), Tyler Okonma (better known as Tyler, the Creator), filmmaker Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher. It's a lineup that only A24 could assemble.
If you missed Marty Supreme in theaters, now's your chance to catch the streaming sensation. The film is now available on HBO Max, joining a growing library of A24 hits. For more on Chalamet's divisive epic, check out our deep dive on how it broke box office records.
In a landscape where sports movies often play it safe, Marty Supreme swings for the fences—and lands a smash. Whether you're a fan of Chalamet, Safdie, or just love a good cinematic panic attack, this one's a must-watch.
