A highly anticipated project from A24, “Marty Supreme” is a sports comedy-drama directed by Josh Safdie. The film, which had a surprise premiere at the 2025 New York Film Festival, is set in 1950s New York and focuses on the high-energy, high-stakes world of competitive table tennis.
The picture’s plot centers on Marty Mauser, a ping-pong prodigy whose dream of greatness is initially met with indifference and disrespect. As he navigates the city, he’s determined to prove himself and elevate the sport. The movie’s creative team, including director Josh Safdie, who co-wrote the script with Ronald Bronstein, drew inspiration from a real-life figure to craft a compelling and often chaotic cinematic experience. Here, all about ping-pong rebel Marty Reisman.
Marty Reisman: A Life in Table Tennis
Reisman, a flamboyant and larger-than-life character, was a “money player” who turned the sport into an art form. Born in 1930 in Manhattan, Reisman began his journey with table tennis as a child, finding it a source of calm after a nervous breakdown. By his teens, he was a city champion and a notorious hustler, playing for cash at clubs across New York.
Source: IMDb
His style was marked by showmanship and a flair for the dramatic, often luring in challengers by losing early games before doubling the stakes and revealing his true skill. A significant moment in his career came in 1952 when he was favored to win the World Singles title, only to be defeated by a Japanese player who introduced a new type of racket with a thick sponge.
This marked a turning point, as Reisman, a lifelong proponent of the traditional “hardbat” style, became a vocal critic of the new technology, campaigning for its regulation for the rest of his life.
Reisman’s career spanned decades and was as tumultuous as it was triumphant. He won 22 major table tennis titles, including two United States Opens and a British Open. Despite his competitive successes, his maverick spirit often put him at odds with table tennis authorities, leading to a temporary ban from the sport.
From 1949 to 1951, he joined the Harlem Globetrotters as a warm-up act, performing a comedy table tennis routine. He continued to play and promote the hardbat style, even winning the U.S. National Hardbat Championship in 1997 at the age of 67, becoming the oldest player to win a national racket sport competition. Reisman passed away in 2012, but his legacy as a hustler, showman, and devoted purist of the game lives on.
Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Marty Mauser captures the same boisterous determination and quirky flamboyance that defined Reisman. Much like the real-life figure, Chalamet’s character is a driven underdog in a sport that society dismisses. According to sources close to the production, Chalamet’s commitment to the role mirrored Reisman’s own dedication to the sport.
The actor reportedly trained for months with former American Olympian Wei Wang to master the unique table tennis techniques. Chalamet, with his portrayal, pays tribute to a complex and captivating character whose life story is a testament to the pursuit of greatness, regardless of the odds.
