The premiere of Marty Supreme, the sports drama directed by Josh Safdie and starring Timothée Chalamet, has received a rapturous response following its premiere at New York Film Festival on Monday (October 6).
The film is Safdie’s first time directing without his brother Benny, whose own solo effort The Smashing Machine is currently in cinemas. Chalamet stars as Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream to conquer the world of table tennis. Despite no one respecting his ambitions, he goes to extreme lengths in pursuit of his goal.
The story is inspired by Marty Reisman, who was known as the “wizard of table tennis” for his professional career that ran from 1947 to 2002. Reisman won 22 ping pong titles and five bronze medals at the World Table Tennis Championships.
The film is released December 26 in the UK, and a day before in the US. Those who attended its festival premiere hailed it as one of the best films of the year on X, as well as praising Chalamet’s central performance.
Film critic Hoai-Tran Bui posted: “Josh took all that wild Safdie energy with him. To call this a sports movie isn’t enough, this is a manic, madcap odyssey that is as exhilarating as it’s exhausting. Timothee’s star power is so bright & undeniable that it’s basically a supernova. LOVED it.”
MARTY SUPREME: yeah Josh took all that wild Safdie energy with him. To call this a sports movie isn’t enough, this is a manic, madcap odyssey that is as exhilarating as it’s exhausting. Timothee’s star power is so bright & undeniable that it’s basically a supernova. LOVED it pic.twitter.com/Nis0tWcySr
— Hoai-Tran Bui (@htranbui) October 7, 2025
Writer Diego Andaluz enthused: “MARTY SUPREME is Safdie’s best film yet. A kinetic odyssey that plays like a deranged cross between CATCH ME IF YOU CAN & UNCUT GEMS. Timothée Chalamet delivers the performance of a lifetime in this unforgettable, awe-inspiring cinematic tour-de-force that fires on all cylinders.”
MARTY SUPREME is Safdie’s best film yet. A kinetic odyssey that plays like a deranged cross between CATCH ME IF YOU CAN & UNCUT GEMS. Timothée Chalamet delivers the performance of a lifetime in this unforgettable, awe-inspiring cinematic tour-de-force that fires on all cylinders pic.twitter.com/ZGrfWGNYpo
— Diego Andaluz (@thediegoandaluz) October 7, 2025
Several critics argued for it being one of the year’s best, with YouTuber Hellomerio calling it “the best film of the year and maybe the most thrilling of the decade”; and critic David Ehrlich comparing it to the equally lauded One Battle After Another. “Marty Supreme aka One Paddle After Another: cannot believe we got two American movies this good back to back” he wrote.
Marty Supreme is magnificent. The best film of the year and maybe the most thrilling of the decade. My heart is still racing coming out of the theater. Unbelievable stuff. #NYFF63 pic.twitter.com/dgeHOWdpsu
— hellomerio (@hellomerio1) October 7, 2025
Marty Supreme aka One Paddle After Another: cannot believe we got two American movies this good back to back
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) October 7, 2025
In a longer post, one viewer concluded: “Marty Supreme is another Safdie masterpiece and somehow even more anxiety inducing than Uncut Gems. This movie is proof Timothee Chalamet is an incredible actor when he’s actually given proper material. Best film of the year and one of the funniest I’ve seen in ages.”
Marty Supreme is another Safdie masterpiece and somehow even more anxiety inducing than Uncut Gems. This movie is proof Timothee Chalamet is an incredible actor when he’s actually given proper material. Best film of the year and one of the funniest I’ve seen in ages. https://t.co/9dqNOWYPu5 pic.twitter.com/K9AgASuJO3
— James (@MKUltraMoney) October 7, 2025
One of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood thanks to hits such as Dune and A Complete Unknown, Chalamet revealed earlier this year that he spent months learning table tennis for the role.
English (US) · 