Timothée Chalamet is on a roll right now and after winning the best actor Golden Globe this month I was eager to see what Marty Supreme had to offer.
Well, it’s one hell of a movie full of never ending action, remarkable acting, and yet, some moments that annoyed the hell out of me.
Let’s start with the plot. It’s 1952 and Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) is a shoe salesman who believes he is destined for greater things – namely being world champion in table tennis. Everyone thinks he’s nuts, especially his boss/uncle who believes his future lies in selling footwear. To get to the world championships in London, Marty rips his uncle off, and so begins a never ending roller coaster ride that takes him across the world and on some truly outrageous adventures.
As he desperately seeks victory in his chosen sport he lies, cheats, and grifts his way through life. He is narcissistic, loud and argumentative and never seems to stop talking. He seems to have no morality or true concern for other people’s needs or feelings and that goes especially for people who show him any kindness or loyalty. He does have occasional pangs of guilt but only when he realises that a situation has gotten out of hand and that his best way out is an apology. He is even willing to undergo complete humiliation at the hands of a millionaire to get what he wants.
The thing about this film is that almost no one is likeable. Most of them are greedy, power hungry and selfish. The world Marty and the others inhabit is mostly dirty, poor, and nasty.
Yet, it is a very watchable film, mostly for Chalamet’s performance but also for the way these characters interact and what it shows us about a certain type of society. It’s basically one long train wreck that is disturbingly compelling.
Despite the acting talent and the fascinating storyline there are some notable cons. The film is way too long and some of the scenes go on and on beyond what my patience was prepared for.
There are a number of scenes where large groups of people are yelling and talking over one another for a long time and this just gets too loud, confusing, and frankly annoying. What also adds to the length of the film are storylines that wander off in tangents and don’t really add a lot to the main storyline. Going off in to the countryside to find a dog is one example. The set up to this and then the execution of it was too meandering and pointless.
But those things aside, over all this is an engrossing film and Chalamet is fascinating to watch and definitely deserves that Golden Globe.
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonoma, Abel Ferrara, Fran Drescher
Directed by: Josh Safdie
Duration: 150 minutes
In New Zealand cinemas 22nd January 2026