Marty Supreme First Reviews: Timothée Chalamet Delivers Oscar-Worthy Performance in One of the Best Films of the Year

This year may have saved the best for last, as evidenced by the glowing first reviews for Marty Supreme. Josh Safdie delivers another gripping cinematic achievement, comparable to his and brother Benny Safdie’s Uncut Gems, with this movie following the career of a young ping-pong player. Yet, the most exciting thing about this movie is said to be Timothée Chalamet’s Oscar-worthy performance, leading an impressive ensemble cast through the uniquely riveting story. Here’s what critics are saying about Marty Supreme: Is it one of the best movies of the year? It’s one of the year’s best films.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel It is easily one of the best films of the year.— Shakyl Lambert, CGMagazine It is one of the best films of the year, even if I don’t care for the Safdie films, mostly.— Julian Lytle, RIOTUS It’s one of the year’s few masterpieces.— Peter Debruge, Variety This is one of the most exciting and engaging films you’ll see all year.— Ross Bonaime, Collider Marty Supreme is one of the best movies of the year. I can’t wait to watch it again.— Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm Believe the hype about this one, folks… When you think about the cinema of 2025, it’s likely that this flick will be right there amongst your favorites.— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar In a year full of underwhelming disappointments, A24’s Marty Supreme is here to save the day… [It’s] a slice of cinema unlike anything you’ve ever seen.— M.N. Miller, InSession Film (Photo by A24) Does it offer audiences a thrilling experience? The film plays like a big-budget arthouse roller coaster ride.— Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment Calling something “a wild ride” is one of the most hackneyed quote-whore favorites, but for this wraparound sensory experience, it’s a neat fit.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter It’s almost absurd how Marty Supreme never stops…. There’s nothing calm about this film. For two and a half hours, you just have to give yourself over to controlled chaos, which makes for a pulse-pounding cinematic experience.— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar Marty Supreme jumps off the screen, big and bold, riveting and exciting, eclectic and alive with an electric charge… Wild, kinetic, and deliriously enjoyable from start to finish.— M.N. Miller, InSession Film It’s a roman candle of a movie that feels like it was shot out of a cannon.— David Ehrlich, IndieWire From the moment the film opens with its jaw-droppingly unhinged opening credits sequence, the movie never stops putting its foot on the gas and never lets up.— Shakyl Lambert, CGMagazine It barrels ahead with the electricity and momentum of a championship rally and closes on one of the most satisfying finales of the year.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel How would you describe it? This genre-defying original is an exhilarating sports comedy, a scrappy character study, a thrumming evocation of early ‘50s New York City — plus a reimagining of all those things.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter Marty Supreme is a sprawling odyssey that chases our titular character around the world, yet at its core, it’s a quintessential New York story about a man with the drive and conviction to chase a dream that only he believes is possible.— Sophia Ciminello, AwardsWatch Marty Supreme works on many levels, being part sports film, crime thriller, and dark social chaos comedy.— M.N. Miller, InSession Film (Photo by A24) Are there any comparable movies? Think of it as Uncut Gems meets Catch Me If You Can, and maybe you’re halfway there.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter It’s easy to make comparisons between Marty’s adventure and the one that Adam Sandler’s Howard Ratner experienced in Uncut Gems.— Ross Bonaime, Collider Marty Supreme is bigger and has a more epic scale than something like Uncut Gems, but is very much a companion piece.— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar Also, a bit like If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, the latest film from Bronstein’s wife, Mary Bronstein, which was co-produced by Josh Safdie.— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior It’s easy to see the influence of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, and especially The Color of Money.— Todd Gilchrist, Screen Rant Will sports movie fans enjoy it? Safdie and Bronstein take ping pong and turn it into the most exhilarating sport on screen… [It’s] one of this generation’s best sports dramas.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel The film in many ways recreates the rhythms of an ‘80s sports movie, focusing on a promising athlete who encounters his fiercest opponent and must fight for the opportunity to see who between them is truly the best.— Todd Gilchrist, Screen Rant Marty Supreme is essentially a 1980s sports movie thrown into a 1950s New York film — all in a Safdie wrapping.— Ross Bonaime, Collider It might start like a conventional sports biopic… setting the stage for a classic sports underdog story. Yet, Marty Supreme is anything but a conventional sports movie.— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy Josh Safdie re-engineers all of the tropes associated with underdog sports films – dissecting, examining, and ultimately subverting their traditional formulations.— Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction It won’t be for everyone, and the insanely manic middle section might turn anyone off who may just be expecting a quirkier take on the sports drama.— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior (Photo by A24) Is it funny? Marty Supreme is laugh-out-loud funny on several occasions.— Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm The surrounding characters heighten the comedy, with Safdie’s humor emerging through terrible decisions, escalating disasters, and awkward social collisions that make you laugh while covering your eyes.— M.N. Miller, InSession Film The title sequence is so hilarious that it tends to set off spontaneous bursts of applause.— David Ehrlich, IndieWire [The title sequence] was funnier, and better, when Amy Heckerling did it in 1989, to kick off Look Who’s Talking.— Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine How is Josh Safdie as a solo filmmaker? In his first solo directing effort since 2008’s The Pleasure of Being Robbed, Josh answers which half of the duo is the better filmmaker.— Peter Debruge, Variety It’s obvious that Josh Safdie may be the better director than his brother.— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior Marty Supreme is an excellent presentation of what Josh Safdie is able to accomplish as a filmmaker in his own right.— Ross Bonaime, Collider Marty Supreme bears the stamp of a gifted auteur carving out his own space with his own signature.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter (Photo by A24) How is the screenplay? Safdie and Ronald Bronstein’s script packs a lot in, but every piece fits perfectly to the wider picture.— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy Safdie and Ronald Bronstein’s screenplay pulls no punches… The duo effortlessly balances the familiar Safdie anxiety-inducing momentum with an emotional undercurrent that sneaks up on you.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel It’s a splenetic wonder of a screenplay… Sequences metastasize out of each other like fast-growing tumors as the script hides a cosmic design that only reveals itself in hindsight.— David Ehrlich, IndieWire How does the film look? Josh Safdie and the cinematographer Darius Khondji made a very good-looking film. There’s a warmth to the color on the screen that adds to the tension and pacing of the film. It makes you feel hot and bothered.— Julian Lytle, RIOTUS Khondji captures the raw grit of 1950s New York while giving the ping pong matches an intimate yet frenetic energy that elevates every rally. His lens never sits still, mirroring Marty’s own roller coaster journey.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel Thanks to the cinematography from Darius Khondji, we feel the filth of the city, yet also a surprising warmth throughout.— Ross Bonaime, Collider The most invaluable contribution behind the camera is the granular period recreation of the great veteran production designer Jack Fisk, both on soundstage sets and New York locations. It’s like flipping through a gorgeous photography book of the city in bygone days, high and low.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter Legendary production designer Jack Fisk showcases some of the most impressive work in his storied career, creating detailed New York City streets, magnificent interiors, and sports arenas around the world that feel remarkably tactile.— Sophia Ciminello, AwardsWatch The production design, by the god-tier Jack Fisk, may be the best thing about the movie… The picture was shot, in various tones of puddle-water and mud, by the previously great Darius Khondji.— Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine (Photo by A24) Could this be an Oscar winner for best casting? Probably one of the film’s greatest achievements… is the eclectic casting around Chalamet by casting director Jennifer Venditti.— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior The creativity of casting director Jennifer Venditti extends, of course, to the wide array of supporting performers and cameos, but should be lauded most for bringing Paltrow back to cinemas.— Sophia Ciminello, AwardsWatch This may well be the ensemble of the year, to the point where its side characters are so vivid, it single-handedly proves why we need the Oscars to have their newly introduced Casting category… It truly deserves at least a nomination.— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar One of the most bonkers ensemble casts in recent memory… While some of the casting choices might sometimes come off as a shock, it doesn’t take long before they’ve proven why they’re just the right pick for this wild ride.— Ross Bonaime, Collider It’s an impressive ensemble that ranks among the year’s best.— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy How is Timothée Chalamet’s performance? One of the year’s best performances… There are not enough adjectives to fully capture what Timothée Chalamet does here.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel Timothée Chalamet turns in career-best work with a performance that may well prove to be his Oscar-winning role.— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar Chalamet is phenomenal, delivering daring, Oscar-caliber work.— Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction In the defining performance of his still-burgeoning career, Timothée Chalamet makes you want to believe in this instantly iconic character, too, even if sometimes you also want to strangle him.— Peter Debruge, Variety Chalamet makes one of the most colossal movie performances of the 21st century seem as natural as a lay-up.— David Ehrlich, IndieWire It’s a sensational performance… In a year of good performances, none have been as transformative as Chalamet’s.— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy No role up until now has so fully captured all of his talents so aptly like Marty Supreme does.— Ross Bonaime, Collider The moments when Chalamet slips fully into the character glimmer, marking a major achievement for the actor.— Sophia Ciminello, AwardsWatch (Photo by A24) Does anyone else in the ensemble stand out? The breakout performance is the marvelous A’zion.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter The strongest of the lot, outside of Chalamet, is Odessa A’zion.— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy Outside of Chalamet, the real MVP is Odessa A’zion in a star-making performance.— Ross Bonaime, Collider The film’s biggest revelation comes from Odessa A’Zion… In fact, A’Zion nearly steals the entire show when she takes on a larger role during the latter half of the film.— Shakyl Lambert, CGMagazine A crook played with gnarled seediness by Abel Ferrara in one of many inspired casting strokes… Paltrow does some of her best work.— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter Gwyneth Paltrow is as good as she has been in quite some time… The most surprising turn comes from Kevin O’Leary.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel Shark Tank panelist Kevin O’Leary [is] perfectly cast as the smug face of American industry.— Peter Debruge, Variety How is Daniel Lopatin’s score? The most striking component of Marty Supreme is composer Daniel Lopatin’s synth-pop, New Wave-inspired score.— Sophia Ciminello, AwardsWatch Daniel Lopatin’s score is resplendent. His blossoming compositions register on a similar connective scale to Tangerine Dream’s filmic works. Warm synths swell and abate, sounding not just symphonic, but ethereally hymnal.— Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction Outside of One Battle After Another and Sinners, I cannot think of a better or more impactful score this year than Lopatin’s work on Marty Supreme. His music pulses and electrifies with every cue, the kind of score that makes you nod along and think, Good God, this is good.— David Gonzalez, The Cinematic Reel Daniel Lopatin’s exciting score, mixed with anachronistic ’80s pop songs on the soundtrack, gives everything a vibrant, thrilling aura.— Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm (Photo by A24) Does the anachronistic soundtrack work? Any midcentury period piece that opens and closes with Tears for Fears is not doing things the orthodox way. (The music cue for Peter Gabriel’s “I Have the Touch” is exhilarating.)— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter Cranked up to 11, the synthesized chimes of Tears for Fears’ “Change” blast straight out of the gate, lending the kind of galvanic kick normally reserved for the nail-biting finale of a sports movie.— Peter Debruge, Variety The score and the use of eighties music at times make you feel this is a timeless New York story. Each song is used at the right time.— Julian Lytle, RIOTUS Historically, it doesn’t make sense, but tonally, it’s just right.— Ross Bonaime, Collider Imagine! 1980s music in a movie set in the 1950s. Crazy, right? This is “Look at me!” filmmaking at its most exhausting.— Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine Any problems with the movie? If Marty Supreme has a flaw, it’s that at 150 minutes, it can’t always hold its propulsion as effectively throughout.— Ross Bonaime, Collider The film can get a bit exhausting and repetitive, dragging and sagging in stretches, despite its excitement and chaos.— Sophia Ciminello, AwardsWatch Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine lumbers in comparison, but it has heart, intelligence, and a point that the story actually supported. Any or all of which would have dramatically improved Marty Supreme.— William Bibbiani, TheWrap Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25, 2025. Find Something Fresh! Discover What to Watch, Read Reviews, Leave Ratings and Build Watchlists. Download the Rotten Tomatoes App.

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