Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, has been one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year, partly due to a stacked cast of household names like Gwenyth Paltrow, up-and-coming actors such as Odessa Azion, huge names in the music industry like Tyler the Creator, and, of course, the lead of the movie, Timothee Chalamet. While the star-studded cast drew people to see Marty Supreme, another driving factor that captured audience attention was the extravagant marketing campaign.

Driven by the movie distributor, A24, as well as Chalamet, Marty Supreme opted for an unusual promo. From a fake Zoom meeting showcasing Chalamet’s method-acting and satirical humor, to exclusively sent merchandise, the Marty Supreme promo was everywhere online. But although social media users knew of the unique tactics used to promote Chalamet’s new movie, many people, including me, were left wondering, what is this movie actually about?

Going into this movie with little knowledge of the actual plot of Marty Supreme, I didn’t know what to expect, but after seeing the movie, I was pleasantly surprised by the combination of a sports/drama/biopic film. It starts off with Marty Mauser (Chalamet) selling shoes at his family business, setting a mundane setting for the movie. Audiences quickly see that Marty does not fit within the bleak lines of his life. Outside of the job he resents, Marty spends his time playing ping-pong, which he proves to also stand out in.

Marty dominates at the odd sport, just to be cut short right when he’s about to win it all. Instead of letting the loss bring him down, Marty remains ultra-confident, even if he doesn’t have the credentials to back it up. He also uses his loss as motivation to make a comeback and play even better than before, no matter the time, risk, or money required.

The movie gains more momentum towards the middle, where audiences see that Marty is truly willing to do anything to achieve his dreams, regardless of the embarrassment he faces or the number of people he steps on, including his longtime friend and part-time lover, Rachel (Odessa Azion). I found the middle of the movie to be the most entertaining, due to the amount of plot twists, and almost absurd actions Marty is willing to take all for the love of ping-pong.

While the movie has plenty of ups and downs, the main stagnation throughout the film was Marty’s attitude. While some viewers could view Marty as a cocky and selfish character, others could see him as extremely determined to achieve his dreams. Personally, I think he’s a mix of both ends. On one hand, he definitely takes risks, with little regard for the consequences or the people he involves. On the other hand, throughout the film, he carries the belief that if he sets his mind to something, he’ll be able to achieve it one way or another. I find Marty’s dedication inspirational because he proved that if you want something, regardless of its attainability, you can get it; however, the way Marty executed his dedication and goals was where I disagree. Marty caused people harm and left many helpless, all to advance his own goals, yet throughout the movie, I wondered, if Marty hadn’t taken advantage of so many people, would he have been able to reach his end goal?

Another aspect of the movie was the fact that it was based on a real story. I find it interesting that so many of Marty’s actions seem too animated and ridiculous to be true, yet someone in real life actually lived through the movie plot.

Chalamet gave a great performance, performing through a tumultuous story while maintaining a specific mindset, combined with moments of emotional vulnerability. The movie is expected to be nominated for various Oscars after only being released for just a few weeks, and I think Chalamet is one of the top contenders for Best Actor in a leading role.

Overall, this film can be interpreted as both an inspirational and cautionary tale on dreams and work ethic. Whether you enjoy action, biographies, sports, or drama, I would recommend the movie for a multitude of different viewers.