MAN-BABY wins game

As is a surprise to no one, it's good. Yet another stress inducing creation from one half of the Safdie brothers, id say its really worth a watch. We follow our generally unlikeable total prick of a protagonist and cheer him on the whole way. 

The film opens with Marty trying to get his money together to head to the uk open for table tennis. Through very convoluted means he scraps together enough cash to find himself on his way to London. The scene on the plane in particular makes me so SAD I live in a post 9/11 flying culture. Really planes just look like so much more of a nice experience like a luxury in the sky rather than Ryanair's or BA’s very much school bus feel these days. Sorry i’ve been doing a lot of travelling (humble brag) and just constantly disappointed by the state of things. Upon arrival in London (as if this wasn't clear already) we really see how confident Marty is in his abilities and in how big table tennis should be. Forcing journalists to interview him, racking up a huge bill at the Ritz and eventually not fulfilling his goal. 

This really sets up his behaviour for the rest of the film. Marty is portrayed as a real grifter, someone who clearly has a real dedication to themselves and an almost narcissistic self belief but ultimately this is the cause of his downfall. 

We have some absolutely gorgeous cinematography in this film, the initial match between Marty and Endo (his eventual Japanese rival) shot in a dark British Table Tennis club is a highlight also when Marty is closing down his local spot and the emerald green shroud almost silhouettes him is really evocative of some more stylish films from another time. Talking about time travel this nice 50s period film has a great 80s soundtrack, which for all historical inaccuracy adds so much more fun to the film than it's welcome. 

Marty does some pretty irredeemable things throughout this film but I feel like both Chalamet and Safdie enjoy making us root for people that are deep down pretty bad. Timmy was great and scarily believable, a few smaller roles really stood out to me I feel like the inclusion of one time viral sensation Luke Manley  was a great decision, and may lead to something else for him in the future, Tyler the Creator I thought put in a real shift when it came to his portrayal of Wally Marty’s friend. Keven O’ Leary's constant inclusion in the plot was such a drag but I guess he does a good job of being an evil rich white man, what a shock. Odessa A'zion in in yet another project since I feel like shes getting cast in everything (good for her), she does a good job too in portraying rebecca marty's not-girlfriend-girlfrend and I wouldn't be too shocked if she gets some supporting actress noms for this one. 

Ok, so the interesting stuff SPOILERS NOT FOR EXACT PLOT BUT FOR MY INTERPRETATION OF THE FILM BUT I WILL BE SPOILING THE ENDING. 

So we follow Marty on his pursuit of greatness which is unknowingly doomed to fail, we see him getting beaten down at most opportunities, his hustles start to blow up in his face (sometimes literally) but he generally shrugs them off with his very American Spirit. 

This is until almost the final act, down on his luck he turns to Mr Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) once again, but no dice, unless he not only begs, but gets spanked by him. Timmy famously refused a butt double, so we can all enjoy this a little more. This punishment given because of his general rudeness but also in a way because of his naivety feels a little more harsh than necessary.

 It brings the film down to reality in a way, and the framing of a rich businessman beating a young man, with his issues but a dream, “welcoming” him to the real world feels sadistic. Marty's a bad guy but this humiliation ritual is suspiciously the kind of “manly” behaviour incels dream about. The film's message for me becomes a little muddled, Marty beats Endo but doesnt qualify for the champs, Rebecca has his kid and he returns home. 

In some way it feels as though Marty Supreme isn't about following a dream or self belief but pushing the limit of what's possible and being pushed back down by those in control. This film feels it follows the same mantra, dream big but not too big. 3/5