Timothee Chalamet Is Great in Marty Supreme. But His Greatest Performance May Be What He's Doing Outside It.

"The solo directing debut of Josh Safdie, Marty, which stars Timothée Chalamet as an abrasive hustler who becomes convinced his most direct route to fame and fortune runs through the world of professional ping-pong, is very much in the mold of the movies Josh made with his brother, Benny, especially Heaven Knows What, Good Time, and Uncut Gems, all stories of low-life strivers counting down the moments until disaster catches up with them."

"But, though it has the scuzzy, scuffed-up look of the Safdies' low-budget landmarks, Marty's period setting and epic scope-the story takes Marty to, among other places, Japan, Egypt, and the Balkans-required a reported budget of at least $60 million (some estimates go as high as $90 million), which is $10 million more than Uncut Gems, by far the brothers' biggest box-office success, grossed in its entire theatrical run."

"Of course, Marty Supreme has a not-so-secret weapon in its leading man, who may be the biggest, and certainly the most enthusiastic, movie star of his generation. Few people relish public attention as unabashedly as Chalamet does, or seem as deft at navigating its pitfalls without major missteps. His Best Actor nomination for last year's A Complete Unknown made him the youngest man to score a second nom since James Dean in 1957, but Chalamet is as extroverted as Dean was withdrawn."

Josh Safdie directs Marty Supreme as a solo debut starring Timothée Chalamet as an abrasive hustler convinced that professional ping-pong is his route to fame and fortune. The film channels the Safdies' earlier low-life narratives while expanding into period settings and international locations including Japan, Egypt, and the Balkans. The production's reported budget ranges from roughly $60 million to $90 million, prompting a high-profile promotional push from A24. The film presents a downbeat fable about the dark side of the American dream and centers on star-driven ambition and the risks of relentless striving.

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