Movie Marty Supreme, interviews with Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow

Marty Supreme, the movie plot

Marty Supreme is an upcoming comedy movie. The plot tells the story of Marty Reisman (Timothée Chalamet), a hustler turned ping pong champion: he moves from a career playing for bets in Manhattan to winning 22 titles, becoming the oldest to win a national paddle competition at 67 years old.

“He has a grand dream. And when you have a big dream in life, and no one supports you when you’re young, you are your own best supporter,” Chalamet said on Good Morning America. “He doesn’t compromise with anyone, not even himself.”

Regarding his affinity with the character, he admits that Marty represents “a significant part of who I was when I was in my twenties or a teenager, to the point that I was deeply motivated to pursue an acting career. My parents wanted me to have a plan B, C, and D at the start of my career; at 29, I can look back and say, ‘Actually, that was great advice.’ But at the time, I really felt that if I didn’t put all my energy into plan A, I would end up doing something I don’t want to do in life.”

Director Josh Safdie told The Guardian that the movie represents the confidence, swagger, and ambition America expressed in the post-war years: “I think the victory in World War II really ignited the idea of the American dream. That an individual can change the world. You can be anyone, from anywhere in the world, you can find glory and there is a reason to exist.” He connects this to the Vietnam defeat and economic and cultural depression: “Reagan tried to revive the American dream. But this time, he did it in quotes. The 1980s were the first postmodern era, and they are really the most enduring era. You walk around and hear 80s music constantly. It was the last truly modern movement.”

Gwyneth Paltrow told Gold Derby that the screenplay was very detailed in the background, “on every aspect. The director had described her origins in detail, how she became a movie star, how she transitioned to a dancer role, and why she moved away: she had lost her son in the war and I think she was seeking some kind of stability. It wasn’t easy to understand. It took me a long time to reconstruct all her motivations and all the moments when she begins to transform.”

Returning to the set after many years was “really strange. Like a fish out of water. I was trying on costumes and wondering, ‘Did I really say yes to this? What am I doing?’ Then I got to the set and, fortunately, my first day of shooting was for a scene where I’m rehearsing a theater show. So it was very natural for me. My whole life has been theater, watching my mother rehearse shows, acting backstage, and then performing a million shows myself. So the camera was far away, and I thought, ‘Okay, now I can orient myself.’”

“Do you have the Daily Mail in front of you?” Marty asks Carol Dunne (Gwyneth Paltrow) on the phone in the released trailer; “Is that you?” “Yes, the chosen one.” “I have a purpose, and if you think it’s some kind of blessing, it’s not. It means I have the obligation to complete a very specific thing. And with that obligation comes sacrifice,” he tells a friend. In other scenes, he plays ping pong, winning tournaments.

“I’m not trying to control you, Marty. But I believe you don’t understand what’s at stake. Here, you have no power,” says his mentor. “And what do you think you’ll do if this dream of yours doesn’t come true?” a journalist asks. “It doesn’t even cross my mind,” he replies.

Marty Supreme, the movie cast

Timothée Chalamet starred in A Complete Unknown, and worked in Bones and All and Dune: Part Two. Gwyneth Paltrow played Pepper Potts in Avengers: Endgame and appeared in the TV series The Politician; she won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.

The cast also includes Fran Drescher, known for episodes of The Nanny and Gravesend; Abel Ferrara, who acted in The App and will appear in Judas’ Gospel by Giulio Base. The movie is directed by Josh Safdie, who recently directed Uncut Gems and Good Time. The screenplay is inspired by the life of the iconoclastic ping pong player Marty Reisman.

Marty Supreme, filming and release date

The production is by Elara Pictures, IPR.VC , and A24, with a budget around 70 million dollars. Filming began in New York City on September 23, 2024, and wrapped on December 5. The movie will be released in US theaters on December 25, 2025.

Marty Supreme, critical reviews and release date

The movie has received positive reviews. According to The Playlist, “Marty Supreme is not a moral fable about discipline and sportsmanship; it is a portrait of ambition as a living, pulsating necessity, something Marty must manifest, from his lips to the ears of God.”

Collider says it “will make your heart race from the start, barely giving you time to breathe, and features a leading performance by an actor truly in command of his greatness.”

TheWrap calls it “superficial self-congratulation of American courage at the expense of everything and everyone around us.”