Josh Safdie’s newest film, Marty Supreme, loosely based on the true story of Marty Reisman, might have been the best way to end 2025.
Set in the 1950s in the Lower East Side, Marty Supreme is about a titular young man named Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) who charms and cons his way through local and global competitions. But at an international tournament, Marty loses to Koto Endo (Koto Kawaguchi); and so, the aggrieved Marty Supreme jumps at the opportunity to travel to Japan for a rematch, a promotional business deal with Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary). On that transformative journey, Marty realizes that self-fulfillment stems from within, not from fame nor fortune.
The film immediately characterizes Marty as a fast-talking hustler. Similarly, the audience is handed Chekhov’s gun early on. The first time we see the ball, it’s orange, with “Marty Supreme” written on the center. Marty pitches the idea to an investor, and to the audience, that his ball must be orange, as it’s easier to track with one’s eyes, especially against a white background. That’s Marty: loud, persistent, impossible to ignore, a big fish in a small pond. Milton Rockwell, a cunning businessman, sees his potential and offers him a chance to travel to Japan, using his loss to Endo to sell his products. His plan for Marty is to play Endo but purposefully fails.
At the climax, Marty dismisses his instructions and plays against Endo in a high-stakes rematch with a white ping pong ball while wearing a white button-up. The ball becomes impossible to track, the game becomes instinctual, and the tension is unwavering. Alone in a foreign country and abandoned by Rockwell, his need to stand out is no longer necessary. Marty refuses to turn his passion into a price tag. And finally, he wins—a win so cathartic, it was as if we were winning with him rather than watching him win. No trophies, not an official match, and no official recognition from the world; yet, Marty Mauser’s smile beams. He’s content with being a ping pong player rather than “the best” ping pong player.
As the final act of Marty Mauser’s delayed maturity, Marty visits his pregnant girlfriend, Rachel (Odessa A’Zion), in the hospital after she gives birth to their child. In an emotional scene, Marty breaks down at the sight of his newborn—a late epiphany that stardom doesn’t equate to self-fulfillment. For most of his life, Marty had mistaken motion for meaning. Standing outside the hospital’s nurseries, Marty realizes that legacies aren’t built from praise and accolades, but from the people you choose not to abandon.
When I watched Marty Supreme on New Year’s Eve, I was determined to use my 24 hours like Marty does—starting with practicing my sales pitch for Marty Supreme 2.
