Margaret Korte
Print/Podcast Editor
Since its release in December 2025, “Marty Supreme” has been widely discussed and highly reviewed, a reputation that is very much deserved.
Starring Timothee Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”), the film follows Marty (based on Marty Reisman, a table tennis champion), an ambitious athlete who is striving to popularize table tennis and hoping to rise to fame along with it. The story has little to do with sports, however, instead mostly following Marty through numerous (sometimes self-induced) obstacles. Chalamet’s character is doubted by others who see both him and table tennis as inconsequential, a form of entertainment rather than a real sport.
The film also stars Gwyneth Paltrow (“Iron Man”) as Kay Stone, a formerly-famous actor who is making her return to the stage.
Chalamet’s performance in the film has been lauded, and for good reason. The viewer will find themself disliking and distrusting Marty, who Chalamet expertly portrays as selfish and prideful–but the character is not entirely one-sided. Despite giving a lack of attention and obligation to those around him, he receives the same treatment from skeptical executive figures.
Chalamet is able to showcase the resilience Marty exhibits, both when he is in the right, and when he is not. Marty’s frustration at not being taken seriously, in combination with his willingness to take advantage of others, is what make him such a complex character, and what makes Chalamet’s performance so interesting. Chalamet’s goal is not to make his character likable, but to portray him as he is.
The acting of each supporting character is also strong; nothing jumps out as especially good acting because it is all so believable. It is easy to forget they are characters in a film when they all perform so seamlessly.
The film is an extensive saga, stretching to a two-and-a-half-hour runtime.
The viewer hardly has time to dwell on one event before the next one plays out: almost every scene in “Marty Supreme” is action-packed with constant movement, keeping the viewer hooked. (In fact, this reviewer does not recommend sitting in the very front row of the movie theater. It makes each scene feel even more graphic and not result in the most pleasant experience.)
Despite the constant switching of subject matter, each new event does feel tiring after enough time has passed. Though it keeps the movie fresh for the first hour-and-a-half or even the first two hours, the constant plot twists eventually feel relentless, a series of scenes that might as well happen, just to make the movie longer.
Overall, the acting and storytelling of the film justify its rave reviews, as long as the viewer is aware of what they are getting into before the movie starts: they should be aware of the long runtime, and be prepared for several twists and turns (both figuratively and literally).
“Marty Supreme” is rated R for language, sexual content, violent content, bloody images and nudity. It is available to watch in theaters.
See Also: Review: ‘Wicked’ presents talented cast
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Margaret Korte–Print/Podcast EditorThis will be Margaret Korte’s third year on ECHO staff. She made several contributions while taking journalism class her freshman year. |
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