Marty Supreme
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (out of 5 stars)
Marty Reisman was considered one of the most recognisable table tennis players in history. A champion, an Olympic medal winner and consummate showman in the American traditional hardbat style of the game. Yet most people have never heard of him, except that writer/director Josh Safdie (Uncut Gems) saw enough in this unique athlete's life to loosely base his film on it.
Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet) is a hustler with one goal: to become the world table tennis champion in the 1950s. Nicknamed Marty Supreme, his charismatic personality and evident skill with the ping-pong paddle got him to Europe to face the world's best in the game. In his wake, he has left Rachel Mizler (Odessa A'zion) and wealthy, retired actress and socialite Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) to pursue his quest for fame and fortune. Yet upon returning home to New York, the realities of his choices leave Marty to decide what to do with the mess he left behind.
Not since Forrest Gump has so much attention been given to the world of table tennis. Josh Safdie and Timothée Chalamet's production puts enough backspin on Marty Reisman's story to make you yearn to know what's going to happen to this train wreck. A character who draws you into the story like any good hustler with his charisma and charm, but once you're in, you quickly determine that you've been swindled. Initially, things seem like a tale of inspiration and overcoming the odds to achieve greatness, until this young man proves to be the most narcissistic and unappealing character in cinema.
This is not to deny the production quality, as each cast member gives their best to invest in their roles, which centre on a ping-pong-playing egoist. Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, and Tyler Okonma come along for this less-than-inspirational sporting story as they support Timothée Chalamet's commanding performance. His commitment to learning the sport and playing was captivating. Still, there is hope that the story will deliver a forehand that propels this story arc back into something to be redeemed or edifying, but like any hustle, most parties involved are left with nothing of value in the end. A tale that has so much going on, outstanding efforts from all involved, but little to say and even less to celebrate as the credits roll.
Marty Supreme serves up a story of a young athlete with focus and drive, then delivers a topspin that leaves the audience feeling cheated by a hustle they didn't expect or want. The quality of the film is undeniable, but the end result lobs the most insipid and selfish character of the year on screen. Not sure this is the legacy Marty Reisman would hope would be spun about his life.
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Reel Dialogue: What do you do with selfishness?
Once the paddles had been laid on the table, the film left us with a discussion of selfishness, but, as mentioned before, there were surprising key attributes of some characters. As they were being set up for celebration, one attribute of their human character stood out. The reality of Marty Mauser's life was that he had a strong personal drive that caused tension in all his relationships.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others - Philippians 2:3-4, NASB
In this passage from a letter from the Apostle Paul, he compares selfishness to “empty conceit.” Selfishness can also be translated as vanity, arrogance, or merely having an overly high opinion of oneself. The opposite of selfishness is found in another letter from the writer of much of the New Testament, Philippians. He says that being united with Christ, having tenderness and compassion, being like-minded, having the same love, and being one in spirit and purpose is where you can find the solution to selfishness.
