"Marty is attempting to prove himself as the world's greatest table-tennis champion, to escape his meagre mid-century New York City circumstances and achieve a dream he's locked on to, seemingly more out of desire to achieve it than a particular love for the sport. And just as he's presumably blown up some natural athleticism into a monomaniacal quest, all of Marty's misdeeds across the film escalate."
"He cajoles, then lies. He quickly turns a pushy request to borrow money into petty theft, which then becomes armed robbery. At one point, a little ping-pong hustle at a New Jersey bowling alley literally blows up into a gas-station fire. Marty will not accept anything less than ultimate victory, which means he will especially not accept responsibility for his actions. And we, in the audience, are invited to like him anyway, at least in part because he is played by Timothee Chalamet."
Marty Mauser repeatedly creates small problems and then enlarges them, turning minor misdeeds into increasingly serious crimes as he chases table-tennis dominance. The character seeks escape from meagre mid-century New York City circumstances through a monomaniacal quest for glory that is driven more by desire for success than love of the sport. Actions escalate from cajoling and lying to petty theft and armed robbery, with stunts that cause literal destruction. Marty refuses responsibility and demands ultimate victory, while audience sympathy is shaped in part by the actor's appeal. The film has generated debate about male-lead likability uncommon for similar antihero films.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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