Ego and Glory In Marty Supreme

Image from A24.

What is the cost of pursuing greatness? In A24’s highest-grossing film in North America, Marty Supreme, director Josh Safdie explores this age-old question. Marty Supreme, released less than two months ago, has already received multiple awards and nominations at both the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards.

Marty Supreme follows Marty Mauser (played by Timothee Chalamet) through his attempts to become a table tennis star. Mauser travels across the world playing in various tournaments, telling everyone that he is destined to succeed. Taking place in 1950’s New York, Mauser begins the movie as a top-tier shoe salesman, but he knows he is bound for greatness. Mauser uses his childhood friends Rachel Mizler (played by Odessa A’zion) and Wally (played by Tyler, the Creator) as stepping stones to stardom, often putting them in life-threatening situations for his own benefit. At the British Open in London, Mauser meets Koto Endo (played by Koto Kawaguchi), a deaf table tennis player from Japan who becomes Mauser’s biggest rival and driving motivation towards excellence. Mauser also meets Milton Rockwell (played by Kevin O’Leary), a wealthy New York businessman who constantly challenges Mauser’s ego. Rockwell represents a larger theme of wealth and corruption, ultimately using Mauser for his own economic gain. Mauser’s constant inner turmoil between power and stability is illustrated through his relationship with Rockwell.

Mary Supreme portrays the flaws and triumphs of pursuing greatness. The film never asks you to like Mauser’s character, but oftentimes you will find yourself rooting for him despite his destructive tendencies. Marty constantly uses his friends and family, only returning to them when it is beneficial to him. However, even after all the pain he causes others, you still feel a sense of pride every time he wins a match. The nuance of Mauser’s character leads the audience to feel this way. At times, you find him a disrespectful egomaniac, and at others, a sensitive kid trying to fulfill his lifelong dreams. Another aspect of Mauser’s character is his Jewish identity. During the time period the film is set, the Holocaust had just ended, and millions of Jewish people began immigrating to New York. This adds even more depth to the adversity that Mauser faces. Mauser is a poor Jewish kid living in a post-Holocaust world, so the odds are systematically stacked against him.

Josh Safdie uses his typical style of intense, anxiety-inducing, emotionally charged narratives to illustrate the joy and simultaneous ugliness of the human experience. Using rapid camera motions and cinematography mirroring the actor’s body movements, the audience feels like flies on the wall of a high-stakes narrative. The audience is left to feel both helpless and intrigued.

So, the cost of the pursuit of greatness is multifaceted. The right people will stay, fighting beside you and against you, wanting you to thrive. However, the pursuit of greatness is not forever, and there comes a time when everyone has to accept the reality they are given.