MARTY SUPREME (2025)

December 22, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. We give thanks to the movie Gods for filmmakers like Josh Safdie, as there is zero chance that he will ever make a movie that bores us. This is his first solo movie in many years after frequent collaborations with his brother, Benny (UNCUT GEMS, 2019; GOOD TIME, 2017). But fear not, because working alongside the writer-director are other frequent collaborators: screenwriter Ronald Bronstein, cinematographer Darius Khondji, composer Daniel Lopatin, and costume designer Miyako Bellizzi.

The film opens in 1952 New York City where Marty Mauser (two-time Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet) is working as a shoe salesman, barely managing to stay a half-step ahead of bill collectors. Marty uses the shoe storage room for quickies with childhood friend Rachel (Odessa A’zion, SITTING IN BARS WITH CAKE, 2023), who is married to a stereotypical inner-city brute named Ira (Emory Cohen). Rachel much prefers Marty, while also realizing his big dreams of greatness and grandeur prevent him from ever settling down for family life. It’s startling how quickly we come to understand the personalities here.

Marty manages to get himself to the table tennis championship tournament where his skill in the game is almost as obvious as his too-big-for-his-britches persona. He’s all American in that his arrogance shines through his fast-talking entitlement … diametrically opposite to his Japanese opponent in the finals. Marty’s hustler instincts score him a luxury hotel upgrade as well as an introduction to once-popular movie star Kay Stone (Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow) and her husband (played by “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary). Marty smooth-talks one of them into bed, while attempting to fast-talk the other into a business deal.

If you’ve seen previous Safdie films, you know he thrives on a frenetic pace and characters who create chaos. As an example, we are subjected to a cringe-inducing honey-licking visual, as well as a bathtub accident and related dog incident, both succeeding in generating shock value. This is a hectic story about a chaotic guy (supposedly loosely based on real life ping pong player/entertainer Marty Reisman). After losing in the tournament finals, our Marty endures a crazy year that includes ping pong against a seal and performing halftime showboating at Globetrotters games – his work properly described as a vaudeville act.

Safdie sprinkles in some familiar faces throughout, including NBA legend Geroge Gervin, Fran Drescher (as Marty’s mom), Larry Sloman, Sandra Bernhard, and film director Abel Ferrera (in a key role as a dog owner). We even get (musician) Tyler the Creator as Marty’s hustling cohort. Sharp-eyed basketball fans might spot Kemba Walker and Tracy McGrady as Globetrotters. Marty’s crazy year does culminate with him finding a way to Japan for the next world championship tournament, where kissing a pig becomes the big risk. Some of Marty’s antics may sometimes be in the mold of the Three Stooges, but he’s clearly very talented at table tennis … it’s just the ‘life with integrity’ thing that he finds difficult – even drawing in Rachel and Kay. The ending is not unlike many sports movies, but the path Marty and Safdie lead us down is absolutely unique and entertaining.

Opens in theaters on Christmas Day 2025

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

UNCUT GEMS (2019)

December 23, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s debatable whether this movie should be labeled an indie crime thriller or a ‘Scared Straight’ session for gambling addicts. Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie are filmmaking brothers who seem to specialize in adding a frenetic pace to the lives of characters who consistently make bad decisions. Their excellent 2017 film GOOD TIME (starring Robert Pattinson) set the tone for their latest, featuring an Adam Sandler performance unlike anything we’ve previously seen from him.

After a brief prologue at an Ethiopian mine, we are dropped right into Howard’s world. Well, more specifically, we find ourselves on the camera end of Howard Ratner’s colonoscopy, while also seeing the vibrant glow of the rare opal extracted from that opening mine. Remarkably, the colonoscopy may be Howard’s (and our) most relaxing moment of the movie. The character of Howard is based on a guy the Safdie brothers’ dad worked for in the Diamond District when they were growing up. He’s played here by Mr. Sandler, who delivers a performance so memorable that we now can’t imagine anyone else in the role.

Here is what we learn about Howard: he’s arrogant and foolish and energetic and hopeful. He lives life on the edge … or perhaps he’s already tipped. He’s a Jewish jeweler based in inner-city Manhattan, and as the film begins, he owes a lot of money to someone who has hired goons to collect. Howard has an irascible wife Dinah (Idina Menzel, Elsa’s voice in FROZEN) who is fed up with his antics … one of which is his employee/mistress Julia (newcomer Julia Fox). Howard has an insatiable gambling addiction and he’s always on the brink of a life-changing big score or a colossal failure that could cost him everything. He’s a hustler who has to move faster each day to prevent the collapse of his house of cards: sports bets, pawns, loans, lies, and empty promises.

So if you think you now have a feel for this, I can assure you that you are mistaken. The frenetic pace is relentless to watch. We kind of like Howard, but yet, we want nothing to do with him. His latest scheme involves the expectation that the rare opal will solve his many financial woes. In the meantime, his business associate Demany (LaKeith Stanfield) brings him a high profile client … NBA player Kevin Garnett. The film looks and feels like a gritty 1970’s flick, but it’s based during the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, and Garnett plays himself (and quite well). Garnett borrows the opal for good luck and that’s when all ‘heck’ breaks loose. Also in play here is Howard’s rotten brother-in-law (Eric Begosian), to whom he also owes money. Adding even more NYC flavor are Judd Hirsch, John Amos, and sports radio host Mike Francesca, as Howard’s bookie.

Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never) provides an electronic score that helps ensure we are never comfortable watching what is unfolding, and cinematographer Darius Khondji (EVITA) keeps his camera in constant motion – just like the characters. Production Designer Sam Lisenco creates Howard’s world through the jewelry shop, the house, the apartment, and especially that back office. Set Decorator Kendall Anderson wins a place in my heart for the Pete Maravich poster.

The Safdie brothers co-wrote the script with their editor Ronald Bronstein (who also worked on GOOD TIME), and afterwards you’ll find yourself going back through all the poor choices made by most every character. The brilliantly sustained level of uneasiness includes a segment featuring The Weeknd, and one revolving around a school play for Howard’s daughter. The Safdie style is present throughout, and most conversations are loud and heated and threatening. If you are the type that needs at least one likable character, or a serene environment, or respectful adult conversation, you are out of luck here. Howard is an exhausting character in an exhausting story within an exhausting movie … just as it was intended.

watch the RED BAND trailer (PROFANITY WARNING):

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson

GOOD TIME (2017)

August 24, 2017

 Greetings again from the darkness. The Drifters and later George Benson sang “the neon lights are bright on Broadway”. Well, we aren’t on Broadway, and though they aren’t bright, the neon lights are ever present and crucial to the tone of the latest from brothers and co-directors Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie.

Robert Pattinson stars as Constantine “Connie” Nikas, and turns in a performance unlike anything we have previously seen from him. Connie is protective of his brother Nick (played by director Benny Safdie), and he’s also a grungy unhinged bank robber. He doesn’t look like a man with a plan, but fortunately, Connie is a smooth talker who thinks ‘quick on his feet’. We say fortunately, because he is barraged with an endless stream of danger, catastrophes and near traumatic events as the story progresses.

A botched bank robbery separates the brothers and sends Nick to jail and Connie on the lam. Co-writers Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie seemingly take immense pleasure in launching Connie off-the-rails has he desperately attempts to avoid capture while simultaneously figuring out how to spring brother Nick. With a frenetic pace that escalates Griffin Dunne’s misery in AFTER HOURS, Connie’s escapades have him crossing paths with his girlfriend played by Jennifer Jason Leigh (wish she had more screen time), a psychiatrist played by Peter Verby, a new anxious-to-help acquaintance in Taliah Webster, an accidental partner-in-crime played by Buddy Duress, an amusement park security guard played by Barkhad Abdi (“Look at me!”), and a brutish thug played by hip-hop artist Necro.

The pounding, pulsating techno/synth music perfectly complements the unusual tone (almost noirish, and bordering on comedic), feverish pace, and fascinating visuals throughout this hyper-kinetic frenzied trip. Some viewers will be turned off quickly, and those that stick with it will be rewarded with an entertaining crime thriller featuring Pattinson’s best performance to date.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson