Saagar Kote
Driven by the compelling performance of Timothée Chalamet as the titular lead, ‘Marty Supreme’ narrates the tale of a table tennis player and hustler named Marty Mauser, who pursues greatness in the 1950s. Directed by Josh Safdie, the sports drama film chronicles the struggles of Marty as he goes through extreme difficulties in the streets of New York City to achieve his goals. His seemingly great talent in table tennis gives him hope, but his social and financial conditions also force him to hustle for survival in a world where greatness comes at a cost.
He also faces emotionally challenging relationships with a woman named Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion), who play pivotal roles in his life of uncertainty. As he has difficult conversations with Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary), a businessman, he must also figure out the meaning of his own life and what it means to be successful in a competitive world. The hustle, visual elements, and themes of the movie are echoed in these films, similar to ‘Marty Supreme,’ which will be worthy of your time.
12. White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
‘White Men Can’t Jump,’ a sports comedy film, revolves around Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson), a white basketball hustler, who makes money by exploiting the stereotype that he can’t play, often trapping African American players by playing the game against them. He eventually teams up with Sidney Deane (Wesley Snipes), one of the men he initially tried to con, to maximize their earnings and chances of survival in the rough streets. The two hustlers are confident in their skills and believe they are an unstoppable team. Still, their own clashing personalities lead them to face unexpected challenges, even as dangerous criminals are after Billy for the money he owes them. The Ron Shelton directorial, like ‘Marty Supreme,’ comments on urban hustle, survival, and the pursuit of success in a rough world.
11. Babylon (2022)
In ‘Babylon,’ Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie), Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), and several others navigate the layers of intrigue, secrecy, and ambition of Hollywood in the 1920s. As filmmaking and lives converge in excessive hedonism, Nellie faces an existential crisis as she dares to be authentic in a competitive world full of egos. Meanwhile, film star Jack Conrad must navigate his fading relevance in a rapidly changing industry, and Mexican immigrant Manny Torres (Diego Calva) deals with the costs of his dreams in an unfamiliar territory.
Directed by Damien Chazelle, the comedy-drama film primarily focuses on the rise of a new era in Hollywood, which led to significant cultural changes during the transition from silent films to sound films. The hustle, survival instincts, and the expression of American individualism in the film connect it to Marty’s journey towards greatness in ‘Marty Supreme.’
10. Nightcrawler (2014)
Directed by Dan Gilroy, ‘Nightcrawler’ revolves around the intriguing life of a hustler and robber named Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal). He traverses the streets and corners of LA, looking to find odd gigs and opportunities to earn a living. When he learns about a system that allows individuals to capture footage of newsworthy incidents and sell it to the media, he discovers that he has a natural talent for it.
What begins as an attempt from Lou to find relevance becomes chaotic when the incidents he captures on camera become increasingly violent. As Lou believes he is on the path to greatness, his greatest enemy could be his own soul. The psychological thriller film, akin to ‘Marty Supreme,’ is a deep meditation on hustle culture and the sacrifices it demands. Lou and Marty’s journeys, though different, are connected through their pursuit of relevance.
9. Kingpin (1996)
‘Kingpin’ chronicles the trials and tribulations of Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson), who faces a significant injury to his bowling hand while taking part in a preplanned game. This leads to the end of his bowling aspirations and changes his life overnight. Years later, he lives a life of alcoholism and mundanity, with no hope for a better life. When he comes across Ishmael Boorg (Randy Quaid), a budding bowling talent, he develops an emotional bond with him and assumes responsibility to help him move his career forward. Helmed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, it sheds light on ambitions, redemption, and hustle culture. These themes and Roy’s struggles in the sports comedy movie connect it to ‘Marty Supreme’ and the journey of its titular character.
8. Boogie Nights (1997)
‘Boogie Nights,’ a comedy-drama film, revolves around Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), a young man who becomes a porn actor after being given an opportunity by Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), a producer of adult films. Set in the 1970s, the Paul Thomas Anderson directorial sheds light on Eddie’s chaotic and wild ride in the adult film industry, as he struggles to find his place in the world. In this process, his emotional dynamics with fellow porn star Amber Waves (Julianne Moore) also lead to complexities. Like ‘Marty Supreme,’ the film follows the journey of a struggling individual seeking greatness. Despite the differences in plot elements, the survival instincts of Eddie and Marty connect them on a spiritual level.
7. Whiplash (2014)
‘Whiplash’ traces the intense relationship between aspiring jazz drummer Andrew Nieman (Miles Teller) and his demanding teacher, Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons), at the Shaffer Conservatory in New York City. Driven by a desire for musical success, Nieman enrolls at the conservatory, only to face Fletcher’s exceptionally high and often brutal standards for perfection at any cost. The psychological drama film, based on the director Damien Chazelle’s short film of the same name, depicts the extreme emotional and verbal tensions between the two. As the student and teacher go through the extremes of musical combat, their relationship and futures hang in the balance. Andrew’s journey to become one of the greats in the field of drumming bears resemblance to Marty’s desire to become a great table-tennis player in ‘Marty Supreme.’
6. I, Tonya (2017)
‘I, Tonya’ is the story of Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), an ice skater who pushes the limits of physical and mental endurance to achieve success. In her difficult journey towards relevance, she faces an extremely tumultuous relationship with her mother, LaVona Golden (Allison Janney), who is abusive. As Tonya desperately hopes to be free of her familial chaos, she is challenged by the behavior of her former husband, Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), who comes back to her life unexpectedly. Directed by Craig Gillespie, the sports drama film, akin to ‘Marty Supreme,’ is a poignant exploration of ambition, sacrifice, and the idea of excellence in the realm of American individualism.
5. American Hustle (2013)
‘American Hustle’ explores the lives of con artists Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams). They follow their own rules and live a life as partners in crime and love. As they carry on with their seemingly monotonous life, chaos begins to reign when FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) forces them to help him arrange sting operations against powerful people in New Jersey’s criminal world. Irving’s wife, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), who has her own stakes in the game, becomes an unpredictable threat to all their lives in the 1970s. Directed by David O. Russell, the crime drama film bears a resemblance to ‘Marty Supreme’ due to its navigation of survival skills, hustling, individual dreams, and volatile characters in a bygone era.
4. After Hours (1985)
Directed by Martin Scorsese, ‘After Hours’ is a chaotic and intense portrayal of the charm and unpredictability of New York City at night. It centers on Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne), a corporate employee, who comes across a beautiful woman. As he pursues her across the streets of the city, his night gets increasingly wild. He crosses paths with various individuals who show him different realities of New York City. In the shadow of the corporate world, Paul struggles to find a genuine human connection, even as he recognizes that he must continue to survive all the things the night throws at him. The comedy-drama film, on the lines of ‘Marty Supreme,’ is a navigation of the essence of New York City and all the complexities it provides. Like Marty, Paul must hustle in different ways to ensure his survival in a rough world.
3. Challengers (2024)
‘Challengers’ revolves around the life of Tashi Donaldson (Zendaya), who used to be a talented tennis athlete. Her career ends due to an injury, after which she helps her spouse, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), to achieve his dreams as a tennis player. Art scales the heights of the sport as he achieves fame and success at a relatively young age. When he unexpectedly starts to lose matches, he no longer feels the drive to compete, which strains his marital life. To make him competitive again, Tashi puts his name down for a challenger event, where he must now face off against Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor), who is his former best friend and also Tashi’s ex-lover.
The lives of the three individuals in the sports drama film go through the trials and tribulations of ego, lust, love, and the cruelty of survival. The Luca Guadagnino directorial comments on the cost of greatness, survival, and relationships, which makes it complementary to ‘Marty Supreme’ and its complex world. Both films deal with athletic abilities and the struggle to keep them intact in a competitive environment.
2. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is a comedy crime film that narrates the ups and downs in the life of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). His extraordinary rise in the brutal world of deception and lies starts from an amateur position and escalates through aggressive and unethical methods on Wall Street. As he establishes his own brokerage firm with friends, his immersion into a life of lust and greed strains his marriage and friendships.
As the weight of the corporate world begins to crush his hedonism, he must come to terms with his reality. Directed by Martin Scorsese and based on Jordan Belfort’s eponymous memoir, the film is spiritually and visually complementary to ‘Marty Supreme.’ The films are connected due to their intense depiction of individual aspirations, romantic complexities, the pursuit of relevance, and the unforgiving nature of the American Dream.
1. The Color of Money (1986)
‘The Color of Money,’ directed by Martin Scorsese, is a sports drama film that centers on retired pool hustler Eddie Felson (Paul Newman), who takes on the mentorship of a young and aggressive pool player, Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise). Eddie attempts to teach Vincent the subtle art of survival in the field, but their clashing attitudes and philosophical differences lead to significant strains in their unique student-teacher bond. As their paths take them to a point of confrontation, they may have more to learn from life and from each other’s differences.
Based on the eponymous novel by Walter Tevis, the film serves as a sequel to Robert Rossen’s ‘The Hustler’ and comments on the hustle culture of urban America. On the lines of ‘Marty Supreme,’ it chronicles the journey of a young and talented man in a rough world. The experiences of Vincent and Marty are spiritually connected due to their youth and their hunger for greatness and relevance.
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