“Marty Supreme” disorients with Style adn Chalamet’s Best Performance

From the very beginning of “Marty Supreme,” Josh Safdie wants to throw you off balance. It’s a film set in the ’50s, but it’s filmed with a style that feels like the jittery character studies of the ’70s, all set to an ’80s soundtrack featuring Public Image Ltd., Peter Gabriel, and Tears for Fears. This intentional clash disorients you, mirroring the experience of a character who never quite feels like he belongs, someone out of time.

Safdie used similar techniques with his brother in “Uncut Gems,” another fast-paced drama about a man deeply uncomfortable in his own skin-a shark convinced he’ll drown if he stops swimming. These daring choices combine with Timothée Chalamet’s strongest performance yet,telling the story of a man who believes he’s the best at somthing,and how that belief matters as much as actual skill.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser,a ping pong champion scraping by while working at a New York City shoe store. He’s having an affair with Rachel (Odessa A’zion), an old friend and neighbour who’s married to the intimidating Ira (Emory Cohen), but clearly captivated by Marty. After a brief introduction, Marty heads to a ping pong championship, steadfast to live large, even if it means upgrading to the ritz and blaming event organizers for any issues.

It’s ther he spots former box office star Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) and is immediately drawn to her fading glamour. Marty talks his way into Kay’s life (and bed) through sheer confidence, even attempting to broker deals with Kay’s husband, Milton (Kevin O’Leary of “Shark Tank”), while sleeping with his wife. Losing the championship and becoming a laughingstock in Japan as the “Defeated American,” he returns to New York in debt, forced to rebuild his ego and reputation, no matter the cost. Then he learns Rachel is pregnant.

Safdie surrounds Marty with unexpected, familiar faces, deliberately chosen to provoke a reaction.