At 6:30 p.m. on a rainy Christmas Day, I hopped out of my mother’s car, raced up the long outdoor staircase at the Burbank AMC 16, and eagerly met a friend to see Timothée Chalamet’s most anticipated film of 2025, Marty Supreme. By then, the film had already become part of my life. I’d heard and recited the infamous A24 “Marty Supreme Christmas Day” chant, seen the iconic orange ping pong ball, and even streamed Chalamet’s rap collaboration with rapper Esdeekid, where he declares, “I’m living the dream, I’m doin’ my thing, it’s Marty Supreme, it’s Marty Supreme.” Set in New York in 1952, Marty Supreme is an A24 studio sports dramedy written and directed by Josh Safdie, featuring notable actors Tyler Okonma and Gwyneth Paltrow.

So, on Christmas Day, I settled into my cushioned seat, reclined with a blue ICEE in hand, and let out a long sigh as Nicole Kidman finished her monologue about the magic of movies. I was so ready.

Initially, I was drawn into the film by its rapid opening, marked by quick shots of the gorgeous Grand Army star and my longtime girl crush, Odessa A’zion, and the main character, Timothée Chalamet, engaging in a lurid affair. Shortly after, the affair plotline is temporarily abandoned, and the focus shifts to Chalamet’s character, Marty Mauser, and his obsessive desire to become a world-famous ping-pong player. For the majority of the film, we follow this narcissistic loser as the narrative spirals into a two-hour stream of madness, featuring failed matches, a fire, a flood, a frantic hunt for a lost dog, mounting debt, and countless other unexpected detours. 

Some of the film’s strongest elements that emerge from this fast-paced chaos include Tyler Okonma’s performance, notable dialogue, and fabulous camerawork and editing.   

I was especially impressed by one of my favorite American rappers and singers, Tyler Okonma, best known as Tyler the Creator, in his role as Wally, Marty Mauser’s best friend. In his acting debut, Okonma delivers a standout performance, stealing nearly every scene he appears in. His undeniable charisma, humor, and generosity propel the film through its many chaotic plotlines, and his fun character serves as a welcome juxtaposition to Marty’s unrealistically obnoxious personality. He also serves as a good representation of the Black male experience during this time period. I only wish Wally appeared more throughout the film and was given more of a backstory, as his exit is anticlimactic, and the audience is never given a clear resolution to his storyline. Still, he remains one of the film’s hidden gems, ultimately lost amid the drama.

Although I wanted just a bit more Wally, I was still very impressed with Marty’s character and the colorful dialogue Safdie used to show Marty’s character traits. Two lines that stood out to me were Marty’s blunt dismissal of responsibility when he insists, “I have a purpose. If you think that it’s some kind of blessing, it’s not. It means I have an obligation to see a very specific thing through,” and his bleak self-assessment: “Everything in my life’s falling apart, but I’m going to figure it out.” Together, these lines encapsulate both Marty’s obsessive mindset and selfishness, and the film’s central tension.

And finally, the camerawork and editing had me gasping and jumping out of my seat at multiple points throughout the screening. I loved how each shot employed a vintage anamorphic lens to creatively decorate the shots. Additionally, the quick, snappy transition frames heightened the tension of the ping-pong matches, with creative angles to raise viewers’ pulses and immerse them in the film. I loved how everything was stitched together, and I could never tell what angle or perspective I would get next. Additionally, within the shots, I couldn’t stop my eyes from wandering around as there was so much decor, lighting, set design, and beautiful costume design to take in each frame.

But even though this film was beautiful, it has a couple of aspects that I think could have been improved. To begin, some of the relationship storylines were slightly rushed and lost their weight or significance because they remained incomplete or unfinished. Also, the film references WW2 through a humorous lens, and it utilizes jokes and a very graphic survival scene that could come off slightly insensitive to viewers. Additionally, Marty Mauser’s character’s blunt dialogue often bordered on cruel, which made it hard for me to relate to or sympathize with. Although these aspects do dim the film a bit, it’s easy to overlook them as the pros outweigh the cons.

For me, due to its amazing storyline and artistry, Marty Supreme jump-started a resurgence of original screenplays, making a successful comeback to the big screen. Before this film, I felt as if I’d lived too long in a world of book adaptations, unoriginal scripts, and never-ending part twos and threes. I’d forgotten the happy feeling of seeing, feeling, and living through the ups and downs of an original story for the first time. This movie helped restore my lost love for art, and I know I’ll be rewatching it over and over again. 

Additionally, as a larger-scale A24 project with a higher budget, incredible marketing, and more notable actors, Marty Supreme gave me hope for the future of the studio. Marty Supreme now easily fits in with its lesser-known A24 sibling films: Waves, Moonlight, The Florida Project, and so many others. I’m looking forward to seeing the studio’s 2026 projects. Specifically, their movie, The Drama, features another one of my girl crushes, Zendaya, and an actor I find much less attractive, Robert Pattinson.  

In conclusion, Marty Supreme was truly a fun watch and 100% worth walking up the never-ending Burbank AMC staircase and getting drenched in a rainstorm to see. I’m eager to see all the critical praise and film awards it will receive in the near future. It currently has 9 Academy Award nominations and is competing against films such as Ryan Coggler’s vampiric masterpiece Sinners, Yorgos Lanthimos’ unbelievably unexpected film Bugonia, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s beautiful action film One Battle After Another for the Oscar for best picture of 2025.  

I will be clutching my orange ping pong ball for good luck this Oscars season!