Everyone has a Marty Supreme within them.
For me, 2:00 AM is when my Marty Supreme sparks!
This is when everything feels achievable. Suddenly, my body is hungry for strength and my mind longs for knowledge. The next five years of my life can be organized in a Google Document. Opportunities that were once hidden, awaken and the desire to be the greatest cannot be silenced.
Marty Supreme has that same unfinished, sporadic feeling as that 2:00 AM jolt of ambition – dazzling yet lacking in depth.
Since its release, the movie has become the production house A24’s biggest hit.
A24 has produced movies such as Past Lives, Waves, and Ladybird. All of which have the quality of lasting messages and striking characters.
Marty Supreme stars Timothee Chalamet, who plays Marty Mauser, a young man in the 1950’s who dreams of being the greatest table tennis player. Timothee Chalamet’s performance is possibly his most unforgettable. The way he developed such an authentic character, showcasing even in small mannerisms, the intensity and destructiveness of Marty Mauser was incredible.
The filming as a whole was masterfully done. The vigor of Josh Safdie’s filming and the visual storytelling of A24 blend immensely well. The set design and the costuming are immaculate, fully immersing you in the time period. The overall pacing matches the character of Marty Mauser, unpredictable and always changing.
Having witnessed the roar of new releases over the recent years, there has been a collective longing for original films that tell an authentic story. That is exactly what Marty Supreme is. Similar to A24’s acclaimed movie, Waves, the movie leaves you with a new understanding of humanity and the ways we may create or destroy ourselves.
Unlike Waves, the message of the story is clouded.
We weren’t allowed access to Marty Mauser’s internal world. While watching, I was looking for a moment where I could see what gnaws at Marty? What eats at him? What leaves him sleepless at night? Where does he draw the line, and why does he seem so comfortable with the destructive trail he leaves towards success?
I was left with so many more questions than understanding of the character. After watching, I felt I had watched an excellently filmed action movie about an average, human villain.
Much of my critiques on this movie is disputed by fans.
When I say that the film is unsatisfying, they claim that’s exactly how you are supposed to feel! Just like Mauser, you are left unsatisfied. I don’t agree. I believe the lack of care for the other characters led to a lack of meaning. Throughout the film, Marty Mauser’s mom is constantly trying to reach out to him and ground him back home. This dynamic could have been so interesting to explore! The same goes with Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, Kay Stone, who struggled with feeling that the actors around her were incompetent. She was a woman in the 1950s who truly did dream big but was restrained by society.
There are so many characters around Marty that would have created a deeper understanding of Marty’s character arc.
I feel that the original ending for Marty Supreme stands as a testament to its lack of meaning. According to the Safdie, the written ending before production was that Milton Rockwell, played by Kevin O’Leary, shows up behind Marty Mauser and bites out of his neck!
Though these critiques do not discredit the quality of the performances and the masterful filming! The movie was engaging and thrilling, with many moments of humor and creativity.
Yet the true message of the film was clouded by expensive advertisements and a lack of intentionality within the plot.
