The pursuit of success regularly pushes people to, or even beyond, their limits. Those limits, usually mental, often result in burnout or in the fear of not being good enough, followed by anxiety about an uncertain future. Not in Marty’s case. The only limits that shape him and his life are the limits of his credibility. How far can I manipulate others to my own advantage? What are they willing to do?

Marty Supreme by Josh Safdie explores what success is truly worth and what it really means to win. The rosy image we like to associate with success is often tied to extreme sacrifices. The same is true for Marty. He actively chooses a path defined by lies, manipulation, and the exploitation of those closest to him in order to fight his way to the top of the table tennis world. But talent alone does not seem to be enough.

The film’s comic and absurdist effect lies in the slow realization that it is not actually about table tennis. Marty Supreme does not behave like a typical sports movie. There are no training montages, no voiceovers explaining Marty’s technique no humble mentor he listens to or defiantly rejects. Instead, it follows the journey of a young man from modest circumstances who steadily works his way out of the audience’s negative perception until at some point you find yourself rooting for his victory. And that is despite the fact that he is not particularly likable.

Marty Supreme challenges almost every emotion of its audience with its unexpected turns and shows how unsatisfying the climb to the top can truly feel. Marked by loss, by lies, not only Marty’s, and by the protagonist’s overwhelming self-confidence, you may often catch yourself sitting in front of the screen shaking your head. And that is precisely what makes it compelling: a film that feels so real it draws out genuine emotion.