Why I Loved Marty Supreme!

By Kanika Phillip

I went to see Marty Supreme and I really loved it! It made me feel emotional throughout, and it’s the first film I’ve watched this year that had that effect.

Marty Supreme is set in the 1950s and follows the journey of young Marty Mauser as he pursues his dream of becoming a champion table tennis player. Marty Mauser is a fictional character based on the life of Marty Reisman, an American champion table tennis player and author. 

Timothée Chalamet plays Marty, and his performance is what truly makes the film. He is charming, intelligent, driven, and at times desperate, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. Through Timothée’s acting, the film explores Marty’s ambition, cleverness, and the moral complexities of chasing success.

One of the moments that really stood out in the movie for me was the bowling alley scene, where Marty and a friend play table tennis against social players. They cunningly pretend not to know each other and encouraged people to bet on them to win. At the end of the game, they walked away with hundreds of dollars. It’s a clever, playful scene that perfectly captures Marty’s charm and ingenuity. Something else that made me love this specific scene was hearing Perry Como's Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes, play in the background.

The song pairs beautifully with the table tennis antics, creating a scene that feels intimate, celebratory, and perfectly in step with Marty’s dreams and individuality. I love that they chose an artist like Perry Como, because often greats like him are not featured so much in modern movies, and more known artists of that area, like Frank Sinatra for example are often talked about over underrated legends like Perry. This in itself is very fitting to Marty, being someone who is underrated, even though he is one of the best at playing table tennis.

Something else I really loved about the movie is how it presents a different narrative from the stereotypical Jewish stories we often see on screen. While the film does contain elements of trauma, it also shows a Jewish experience that we do not often get to witness. Even small details, like the Star of David necklace Marty wears, which appears in key moments, add depth and richness to this portrayal. We see his Jewish identity subtly woven throughout the film, but he is never reduced to it. Marty exists as a fully realised character, rather than a one-dimensional stereotype, so often portrayed in cinema.

Many might say that Marty comes across as arrogant, self-focused, and at times even rude, however, there are moments throughout the film that reveal a deeper sense of respect and humanity. One detail I particularly loved is that almost every time he plays table tennis, he shakes his opponent’s hand afterwards. It seems small in the grand scheme of things, but it says a lot about his character. Despite his obsession with winning, power, and success, Marty never treated others as beneath him, and that adds a softness to an otherwise abrasive character.

Throughout the film, Marty is driven by the idea that winning tournaments will bring him money, which he believes will give him power and security. He often reassures people he owes money that when the tournament money comes in, it’ll all be fine. But the story is not just about ambition or success; it also shows Marty’s cleverness and charm in smaller, everyday moments, whether it’s working in his uncle’s shoe shop, charming customers, or finding creative ways to achieve his goals.

The film also explores Marty’s relationship with his mum. She goes to great lengths to keep close to him, even making up stories about being ill so he will come and see her. This highlights the love and care behind her actions, and it adds emotional depth to Marty’s journey which is revisited towards the end of the movie.

Another powerful moment in the film comes when Marty is offered the chance to travel to Japan to compete at an event, an opportunity given to him by a wealthy businessman. What feels especially important is that Marty initially turns the offer down. However, driven by desperation and his desire to prove himself, he later goes to extreme lengths just to secure the money to go. In one of the most uncomfortable scenes in the film, the businessman humiliates Marty, forcing him to degrade himself by binding over as he spanks him several times with a table tennis bat. This moment highlights how far Marty is willing to go to get closer to his dream, even at the cost of his own dignity.

When Marty finally reaches Japan, he is expected to throw a match as part of a business deal. When the crowd cheers for the man who is now the current table tennis champion, Marty becomes visibly upset and tells the crowd that the game was fake and asks his opponent for a real game. Marty knows that if he does this the business man won’t pay him if he does this. Marty goes ahead anyways and plays again. This time, he plays honestly and wins! In that moment, Marty realises that table tennis is more than money or power. 

After winning, he breaks down, cries, hugs his opponent, and wishes him luck in the next tournament. It is a beautiful and emotional scene that shows Marty standing up for himself and refusing to let anyone dictate his worth or his future.

In the final scene we see Marty finally growing as a person, and assuming his responsibilities, when he goes to visit his new born son, in the baby unit at the hospital. It’s such a touching moment, when he bursts into tears. Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World plays, and it feels perfectly fitting. In that moment, Marty realises that life is about more than ambition or money. Seeing his child gives him purpose and perspective, and to me i think perhaps even helped him understand his mum’s love and the lengths she would go through, just to spend more time with him. It’s a heartfelt, powerful conclusion that beautifully ties together ambition, responsibility, and the bonds of family.

If you haven’t seen the movie yet, I highly recommend it.