Movie review: Thumbs up for 'Marty Supreme'
By Benjamin Hall | Dtaff writer
If you’re a movie lover, “Marty Supreme Christmas Day” is a marketing slogan that has been virtually impossible to escape for the last few months. This phrase was one of the driving forces behind the unprecedented marketing success of the film, “Marty Supreme.”
The marketing stunts range from a trendy jacket that took fashion influencers by storm to a fake meeting where Timothee Chalamet, the star of the film, pitched increasingly unhinged marketing ideas to promote the movie. These are only a few aspects of the unorthodox marketing campaign for “Marty Supreme” that made the film nearly omnipresent on social media leading up to its release.
But in the midst of all the media hype, many are left with the question: Is the movie actually good, or is this another example of a subpar film being propped up by a relentless marketing campaign? Grossing over $80 million domestically, the box office says, “It is absolutely worth the hype.”
Set in the 1950s, the sports comedy-thriller follows Marty Mouser, a ping pong phenom from the slums of New York, as he struggles to balance his personal life with his dream of becoming the greatest table tennis player in the world. It joins movies like “Black Swan” and “Whiplash” by exploring the following question: At what point does sacrifice for the pursuit of greatness become destructive to yourself and your relationships?
Marty, a narcissist, moves through the world using everyone he encounters for his own personal gain with little to no regard for their feelings, and at times, lives. Early in the film, he discovers that he has fathered an illegitimate child through an affair, but refuses to take responsibility for the pregnancy, as it would interfere with his table tennis career. He is so utterly focused on greatness that he can’t stop and see the damage he is doing not only to himself, but to those around him.
Spearheading the film, Timothee Chalamet seems to be the perfect actor to play Marty Mouser, as he himself is striving to be one of the greatest actors of our time. As Chalamet put it in his SAG Award acceptance speech, “I’m truly in pursuit of greatness… I want to be one of the greats.” While already boasting one of the greatest filmographies of the 21st century, the performance that Chalamet put up in “Marty Supreme,” only further cements Chalamet among the greats. This matches the character of Marty Mouser to a tee.
The story is absurd and sure to keep you at the edge of your seat, but never seems forced or confusing. It’s action packed, but also full of drama surrounding Marty’s personal relationships. The extraordinary writing of the film allows the story to flow smoothly while bringing constant twists and intense moments. The film is also remarkably funny, as the viewer can only laugh at the absurdity of the plot and dialogue.
The ending of the film is purposefully obscure. As Marty quite literally stares the sum of all of his bad decisions in the eyes, the viewer is left wondering whether Mouser finally accepts responsibility for his actions or continues his cycle of self destruction.
Regardless, “Marty Supreme” is sure to go down as a modern classic.
Contact Benjamin Hall at bhall5@augusta.edu.
