From the moment Marty Supreme kicks off with that absolutely unhinged opening credits sequence that leads to a ping pong ball morphing. I knew Josh Safdie was swinging for the fences. There is no easing you in here. The film grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go for nearly two and a half hours. It’s a full body experience packed with lies, deception, comedy, tension, heartbreak, and a constant sense that everything could fall apart at any second. And at the center of all that chaos is Timothee Chalamet, completely locked in and firing on all cylinders.

This is the kind of performance that reshapes a career. Marty is not someone you are meant to like and the movie makes that clear early on. He is selfish, manipulative, and endlessly reckless. Yet, Chalamet plays him with such slick confidence and snake charming energy that you can’t help but stay glued to him. You want to look away but you never do. Watching Marty chase greatness at any cost becomes a strange love hate relationship, and that tension is what keeps the movie buzzing. The antics are wild, the choices are bold, and every scene feels like it could explode if pushed just a little further.

The supporting cast only adds to the madness. Tyler Okonma, better known as Tyler The Creator, makes a strong first time acting impression as Wally. Marty’s loyal friend who risks his life and reputation just to keep Marty’s dream alive. Odessa A’zion brings real emotional weight as Rachel, a longtime friend and love interest who needs Marty just as much as he needs her. Then you have Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin O’Leary stepping in as Marty’s financial lifelines, both of whom he is more than willing to bleed dry without a second thought. Every character feels slightly unhinged in the best way, like they wandered in from different worlds and somehow fit perfectly.

None of this works without Josh Safdie at the helm. He’s built a reputation for these obsessive, goal driven characters ever since Good Time and Uncut Gems. Marty fits right in alongside Connie and Howard, people so focused on winning that they burn everything around them. When I first heard Josh and Benny Safdie were splitting up to do their own projects, I will admit I was worried something might be missing. That fear disappears fast. Josh proves here that the sauce is still very much intact. Marty Supreme is intense, exhausting, funny, and impossible to look away from. Like Marty himself, it’s a bad idea to bet against Josh Safdie.

On top of all that chaos, the movie just looks incredible. The 1950s New York streets feel grimy, alive, and fully lived in. More than once it felt like I was watching a lost Scorsese film from the 80s or 90s, the kind that smells like cigarette smoke and bad decisions. That feeling is all thanks to production designer Jack Fisk and his ridiculously talented team. Fisk has worked with legends like Scorsese, David Lynch, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Terrence Malick. So yeah, the guy knows how to fill a frame and make a world feel real. Every corner of Marty Supreme feels intentional, like there is a story happening just outside the camera’s view.

Safdie also reunited with cinematographer Darius Khondji, and that pairing is pure magic. Khondji, who previously collaborated on Uncut Gems, brings a visual energy that constantly keeps you on edge. This is the same guy whose resume jumps from Mickey 17 to Midnight in Paris to even a Limp Bizkit video, and somehow that range makes perfect sense here. The camera moves with purpose, the lighting feels raw, and the film never lets you get comfortable. It all adds to that constant sense of momentum, like the movie itself is sprinting alongside Marty.

With this dream team firing on all cylinders, Marty Supreme feels like it belongs to a different era of filmmaking. Watching it felt similar to how people must have felt seeing Goodfellas for the first time, while others compared it to the impact of The Godfather. It is that kind of swing. Every second my eyes were locked to the screen, and the film itself felt like the bouncing of the Olympic sport. Demanding your full attention and rewarding it every time. By the final half hour revelation and the eventual roll of the credits, it became crystal clear why Timothee Chalamet has called this his best work. You can also see why he went out of his way to make sure he and A24 pushed this as a true cinematic event. Marty Supreme does not just want to be watched. It wants to be experienced.