Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The sports comedy-drama film Marty Supreme was officially released in the United States on December 25, 2025, after premiering at the New York Film Festival on October 6, 2025.
The film is directed by Josh Safdie and stars acclaimed actor Timothée Chalamet in the lead role.
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Set in New York City in the 1950s, Marty Supreme follows the journey of Marty Mauser, a table tennis star who is on the rise and facing various challenges.
This fictional story is loosely inspired by the life and autobiography of legendary American table tennis player Marty Reisman.
With widespread critical acclaim for its direction, screenplay, music, and Chalamet's performance, the film has captured the public's attention.
Marty Supreme: A Captivating Sports Comedy-Drama
Marty Supreme presents a narrative centered on Marty Mauser, played by Timothée Chalamet, as he strives to reach the pinnacle of table tennis greatness.
The film masterfully depicts the New York City atmosphere of the 1950s, adding visual depth to the story.
This story is not a pure biopic, but rather a creative adaptation of Marty Reisman's autobiography, 'The Money Player: The Confessions of America's Greatest Table Tennis Champion and Hustler', published in 1974.
Josh Safdie, behind the success of Marty Supreme, served as director and co-writer with Ronald Bronstein.
A strong supporting cast, including Gwyneth Paltrow as Kay Stone, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma (Tyler, the Creator), Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher as Rebecca Mauser, enhances the dynamic of the story.
The film's technical aspects also received positive reviews, with cinematography by Darius Khondji and an original score composed by Daniel Lopatin.
The inspiration for Marty Supreme came when Josh Safdie's wife, Sara Rossein, discovered Marty Reisman's autobiography in a thrift store, sparking the idea to adapt the story for the big screen.
The film has received significant critical acclaim, with many citing Chalamet's performance as one of the best and most defining of his career.
Marty Reisman: The Inspiration Behind the Scenes
Martin "Marty" Reisman (1930–2012) was an American champion table tennis player and author, who served as the primary inspiration for the character of Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme.
Born on February 1, 1930, in Manhattan, New York, to Russian Jewish immigrants, Reisman began his journey in table tennis at the age of nine.
The sport became a solace for him after a nervous breakdown, and he became the city's junior champion at the age of 13.
Reisman was known for his eccentric personality, flamboyant style, and remarkable ability as an entertainer. He was nicknamed "The Needle" for his quick wit and slender frame.
Marty Reisman often made money by betting on table tennis matches in underground clubs and pool halls, displaying a "hustler" side also reflected in the film Marty Supreme.
Throughout his career, Reisman won 22 national and international titles between 1946 and 2002, including two U.S. Opens and one British Open.
In 1997, at the age of 67, he made history as the oldest person to win a national championship in a racquet sport, the U.S. National Hardbat Championship.
Between 1949 and 1951, Reisman toured the world as the opening act for the Harlem Globetrotters, performing table tennis comedy routines and impressive tricks.
Tricks like splitting a cigarette with a forehead slap or playing with a trash can lid or shoe instead of a paddle showcased his uniqueness and talent.
Marty Reisman died on December 7, 2012, in Manhattan at the age of 82 from heart and lung complications.
Marty Mauser and Marty Reisman: Fiction Inspired by Reality
While Marty Supreme isn't a direct biopic, Timothée Chalamet's character, Marty Mauser, is heavily inspired by Marty Reisman.
The film borrows numerous biographical details from Reisman's life, though many of the incidents depicted in the film are fictional.
Mauser, like Reisman, is depicted as a Jewish American who grew up in New York City and developed a deep obsession with table tennis from a young age.
The film also depicts Mauser as a shoe salesman early in his career, a position Reisman himself held, albeit briefly.
There are some interesting fictional differences: for example, in the film, Mauser lives with his mother, while Reisman moved into a hotel with his compulsive gambler father at age 14.
Scenes in which Mauser and his friends cheat college students or offend the wrong people were inspired by Reisman's real-life experiences, which often involved facing danger.
Mauser's rivalry with Japanese player Koto Endo in the film also mirrors Reisman's rivalry with Hiroji Satoh, the Japanese champion who defeated him at the 1952 World Table Tennis Championships.
The character of Endo himself is a blend of Koto Kawaguchi (a deaf Japanese actor and table tennis champion) and Satoh.