“Marty Supreme” was released on Christmas Day after one of the most aggressive marketing campaigns of the year. To many speculative fans and viewers, the “Marty Supreme” movie had three notable things: Timothée Chalamet, ping pong, and inspirational wisdom. Sports movies like “The Boys in The Boat” — released Christmas Day of 2023 — provided a profitable and likable context which “Marty Supreme” partly relied upon. A theme of the movie, according to both the promotion and Chalamet, was “Dream Big.” The stage was set for the film to be a major blockbuster.
In all metrics, “Marty Supreme” won big. The film grossed $162 million worldwide, and Chalamet won the Best Actor award at both the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards. Chalamet’s performance can’t be argued with, and to save you time on that note, dear reader, I believe he also deserves the Oscar for Best Actor.
Notably, however, the movie itself missed the award for Best Picture at both the Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards. This is probably because it’s an ensemble film about one mean person being mean.
“Marty Supreme” is about a chaotic and narcissistic 20-something-year-old man, Marty, as he attempts to climb the social ladder from the bottom through the blossoming sport of table tennis. Along the way, Marty doesn’t hesitate for a second to stab anyone and everyone in the back to achieve his dreams. From leaving his pregnant partner, to stealing from his family, to hustling small-town kids and his best friend, Marty leaves madness and destruction in his wake. I left the theater feeling aggressive, pumped up, and frustrated. The movie is a masterclass of emotion, thought, character building, music, and cinematography, but at the same time, it platforms and celebrates the most egregiously selfish actions and behavior a person could commit.
That being said, all reviews are subjective, and no one interacts with art in the same way. But if you ask me, “Marty Supreme” doesn’t deserve Best Picture. Even as a cautionary tale, the Academy would take a large risk by giving accolades to 150 minutes of backstabbery and cruelty.
