‘Marty Supreme:’ mastering the meaning of greatness

“Marty Supreme” is an American film starring Timothee Chalamet and directed by Josh Safdie. The film revolves around Marty Mauser, a post World War Two Jewish American table tennis player who wants to represent America by being the first American to win the British Open, partially because he wants to prove his own greatness and partly for the money and fame that bringing table tennis to the American conscience would provide. It delves into themes of ego, narcissism, the pursuit of greatness, American identity, the pursuit of real happiness, and maturity. 

At the beginning of the film, we see Mauser begrudgingly working in a New York City shoe shop for his uncle in order to afford a ticket to London to play the British Open for table tennis. He also participates in an affair with his childhood best friend, Rachel Mizler, whom he impregnates. 

He leaves his job at the shoe store early after having been promised the money. At the time of his return his uncle had intentionally left to not give Mauser the money in time for him to be able to leave, this causes Mauser to rob the remaining employee at gunpoint in order to participate.

Now on the run from the American criminal justice system, he understands that he will almost certainly have to win the tournament in order to repay his uncle and convince his family that it’s realistic for him to be a full-time table tennis player. His confidence going into the tournament is based on him beating the defending champion earlier in the year however, to the people watching, he remains the unknown American competitor. 

Mauser is introduced to his main rival, a Japanese deaf man named Koto Endo. Endo’s character is brilliantly set up for the rest of the film in that he and Mauser are both one and the same (the single foreign players from their countries invited to the tournament, they both have the talent and the work ethic to be the best, and they both work other jobs). However, they are also two profoundly different people (Endo is unselfish and non-egotistical, Endo is the pride of his nation, and Mauser remains almost a complete no-name in America, Endo has a unique grip, whereas Mauser uses a typical grip, and Endo receives financial success for his play)

It’s hard to get much further into the story without large spoilers, but the movie has a lot to offer. “Shark Tank” star Kevin “Mr. Wonderful” O’Leary plays Wilton Rockwell, a wealthy man with no regard for quality over profitability. Tyler, the creator, plays Wally, a taxi driver and table tennis partner of Mauser.

The ending of the movie is somewhat controversial because people believe that Mauser changed his character too much. I believe the meaning is his own realization that happiness doesn’t come from the admiration of any governing body or fan, but rather from the people he cared about the whole time. Should the ending impact him enough to believably remove the character’s extreme narcissism? That’s for you to decide when you watch the film.