Before seeing “Marty Supreme,” I would have bet $20 that you couldn’t make a beautiful, emotional, captivating, suspenseful, and genuinely funny movie about ping pong.
I guess I’m down $20.
The story centers around Marty Mauser, a 23-year-old from New York who is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his dream: become the table tennis world champion. He puts all he has into winning the English Open.
Confident that he will receive the tremendous amount of prize earnings, he borrows money from his family, buys luxurious hotel rooms, pays for people’s gourmet dinners, and more. But when it comes to the final rounds, he loses to Japanese player Koto Endo.
After the competition, his life is in shambles. His reckless spending and overconfidence have not only put him on bad terms with his loved ones, but he has a $15,000 hotel charge that he assumed would be covered by his winnings. He has to figure out how to pay the fine in order to qualify for the World Championship. Whether that means theft, fraud, or manipulation, Marty will play in that tournament.
At its roots, “Marty Supreme” is based loosely on a real person named Marty Reisman. He was a ping pong player and hustler in New York in the 1950s, much like the movie Marty. Reisman wrote a memoir in 1974 called “The Money Player,” which inspired the idea for the film.
Although based on Reisman, “Marty Supreme” is a fictionalized original, rather than being exclusively about his life. The movie was released on December 25, 2025. Its unofficial companion novel, “Marty Supreme: The Unstoppable Rise of Marty Mauser” by Ken Fulton, was released in October.
Marty is played by Timothée Chalamet, who is supported by other cast members like Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Tyler, the Creator, and Koto Kawaguchi. The movie’s estimated budget was $70 million dollars. Domestically, it grossed over 80 million dollars, surpassing “Everything Everywhere All At Once” during the 2025 holiday season. In total, it grossed 100 million dollars worldwide.
In the 2026 award season, “Marty Supreme” was a popular nominee. It was nominated for nine Oscars, eleven British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, eight Critics’ Choice Awards (CCA), and three Golden Globes. It won one CCA and one Golden Globe, along with countless other awards.
The only major flaw I found in this movie was its runtime. If you are skeptical if you’d like the movie, I can see how the 2.5 hours sitting in a theatre could be a deterrent. However, to me, it didn’t feel any longer than any other movie I’d watch at home. If you get antsy in theatres, I would definitely recommend taking breaks during the less exciting scenes.
The script was one of the strongest parts of the movie. It was fast-paced, while still highlighting significant moments. It effectively told multiple stories at once, blending them together seamlessly. It portrayed not only strong but also realistic emotions. Pair this with beautiful line delivery, it made for a movie that feels relatable and natural.
Another rare achievement that I found in “Marty Supreme” was chemistry. Talented actors in a movie are important, but they are only great if they work well with others. The cast collaborated with each other, building real relationships to strengthen theirs on screen.
Not to mention, the humor in this movie felt genuine, unlike a lot of comedy cash-grabs that are being made today. The natural wit of the characters, along with a touch of slapstick humor, added another layer to the movie, without overshadowing the more serious parts.
“Marty Supreme” was as beautiful visually as it was emotionally. The use of muted, warm colors gave an old feeling to the movie, accurately portraying its setting of 1952. Talented Director of Photography, Darius Khondji, really tied this movie together with creative shots, stunning settings, and engaging visuals.
“Marty Supreme” portrays the beautiful, ugly truth behind what it means to chase your dreams.
