Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
'Marty Supreme' director praises Chalamet's intense performance
Timothée Chalamet in a scene from “Marty Supreme” / Courtesy of Mindmark, Hive Media Corp.
By Baek Byung-yeul
Josh Safdie, the director of the sports comedy movie “Marty Supreme,” expressed deep admiration for actor Timothee Chalamet, highlighting the unique combination of traits that made him perfect for the lead role.
Speaking at an online press conference, Thursday, the filmmaker praised the actor for bringing a rare balance of power and innocence to the character.
“One of the things that drew me to Timmy was his intensity, but his intensity was softened by a certain sort of eternal youth and a boyish wonder about the world,” Safdie said. “One of the things I did really admire about him is that he takes things very seriously, obsessively."
“Marty Supreme,” which was released in theaters here on Wednesday, is set in the 1950s and follows the journey of Marty Mauser, a young man who tries to become a world champion table tennis player. To achieve his goal, he competes in underground gambling matches and performs circus-style trick shots.
Safdie has built a reputation in Hollywood for his distinct filmmaking style, previously directing acclaimed titles such as “Good Time” (2017) and “Uncut Gems” (2019) along with his brother Benny Safdie.
Director Josh Safdie speaks during an online press conference for his movie “Marty Supreme,” Thursday. Courtesy of Mindmark, Hive Media Corp.
With “Marty Supreme,” which marks his first solo feature film, the director continues his exploration of deeply flawed and complex characters driven by intense desires.
The director explained that Marty is driven by a strong desire to make a lasting name for himself, even if society does not recognize his passion.
“I think he's pursuing the idea of greatness, and he's pursuing a place in infinity,” Safdie said. “His dream is to be the greatest at the thing that he believes he was put on Earth to do, and it was a responsibility to see it all the way through.”
While the film was initially inspired by the life of real-life American table tennis legend Marty Reisman, Safdie clarified that the story is fundamentally an original creation. He said Reisman's autobiography served as a gateway into the unique world of the sport.
“At some point, there was some sort of confusion amongst the internet or press that this was in any way a fiction or a fictionalized story about Marty Reisman or an adaptation of his life,” Safdie said.
Safdie expressed hopes that the journey of his fictional dreamer would resonate with local viewers.
“I think that the ending is very complicated, because in many ways it's a happy ending, but it is also melancholic in the sense that you know it's the end of his dream and the beginning of another dream,” Safdie said.