Saagar Kote
‘Marty Supreme’ follows Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a table tennis player and hustler in the 1950s, who is driven to achieve greatness. Set primarily against the backdrop of NYC, it chronicles Marty’s intense struggles as he navigates the streets to fulfill his ambitions. While his exceptional talent in table tennis offers a glimmer of hope, his challenging social and financial circumstances compel him to hustle and engage in criminal activity for money. Marty’s journey is further complicated by emotionally taxing relationships with two women, Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion), both pivotal figures in his unstable life.
Directed by Josh Safdie, the narrative of the sports drama film deals with the ups and downs in Marty’s journey as he struggles to survive one crisis after another, while also keeping his passion for table tennis alive. If you are looking for movies streaming on Netflix that reflect the spirit and themes of ‘Marty Supreme,’ this list will be of interest to you.
8. First Match (2018)
‘First Match’, directed by Olivia Newman and based on her eponymous short film, centers on Monique (Elvire Emanuelle), a teenage girl who has been in foster care for a while and is estranged from her father, Darrel (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Driven by her passion for wrestling and a desire to reconnect with her dad by proving herself, Monique joins a wrestling team, coached by Castile (Colman Domingo). However, the team mostly consists of boys, which makes her a unique part of it. As she steps into the ring, she faces a difficult relationship with Darrel. This forces Monique to grapple with complex issues of gender, family, and fate to find the inner strength she needs. Monique’s puzzling journey of struggle spiritually reflects Marty’s hustle in ‘Marty Supreme.’ The Netflix drama film is available to watch here.
7. Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Set in the 1960s, ‘Ford v Ferrari’ is the story of Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), an American car designer who is dragged into an ambitious plan by Ford executives. The prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France is dominated by Ferrari. Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts), the CEO of Ford, feels insulted when the owner of Ferrari ridicules his cars and factory. To teach Ferrari a lesson and win the French race with a Ford car, the company hires Carroll to build a race car that can truly challenge anyone.
Carroll teams up with a passionate and hot-headed British driver named Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to achieve this impossible task. As Carroll and Ken go through the grind of corporate interference and limitations, they strive to build the perfect car. With everything on the line at Le Mans, Ken must drive the Ford car to perfection in a battle for the ages against Ferrari. Directed by James Mangold and based on true events, the movie reflects the elements of hustle, survival, and greatness in ‘Marty Supreme.’ The sports drama film is streaming on Netflix.
6. Amateur (2018)
‘Amateur,’ a Netflix sports drama directed by Ryan Koo, offers a nuanced look at the pressures of professional basketball through the eyes of Terron Forte (Michael Rainey Jr.). A gifted and ambitious teenager from a humble background, Terron is desperate for a shot at greatness. He becomes a student at a prestigious National Collegiate Athletic Association prep school. Coach Gaines (Josh Charles) spots his talent and begins training him, exposing Terron to both the bright and dark sides of the sport’s culture. Though Gaines promises Terron’s parents that their son will have a successful future, the young player must struggle to succeed while bearing the immense weight of his own ambitions. Terron’s financial desperation, his hunger for success, and his personality connect him to the titular character in ‘Marty Supreme.’ You can watch the movie here.
5. Hustle (2022)
‘Hustle’ is the story of Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangómez), an exceptionally talented basketball player from Spain. During a scouting trip to Spain, Stanley Sugerman (Adam Sandler), a struggling international scout for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers team, spots Bo and recruits him for the tournament. Stanley is seeking purpose in his life and has a strained family life with his wife and daughter. Upon arriving in the US, Bo quickly learns that achieving success in the NBA is a significant challenge that may cost him dearly. For Stanley, Bo represents his last hope to redeem himself. The sports comedy-drama film, akin to ‘Marty Supreme,’ appears to serve as commentary on the life of an athlete that also explores desperation, hardship, and the cost of greatness. The Jeremiah Zagar directorial can be enjoyed on Netflix.
4. The Founder (2016)
‘The Founder’ revolves around the actions of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling salesman in the 1950s. His mundane life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across a fast-food burger restaurant named McDonald’s, run by brothers Dick (Nick Offerman) and Mac McDonald (John Carroll Lynch). Overwhelmed by the taste and excellent speed of service, Ray hopes to make McDonald’s a bigger national brand by opening more branches.
As Ray struggles to convince the brothers to adopt new techniques and strategies to improve their restaurant business, he must also come to terms with the dangers of his desire for profit. With the differences of opinions between the siblings and Ray threatening to change the very nature of the fast-food industry, fate seems to have plans of its own. Inspired by true events, the drama film directed by John Lee Hancock shares similarities with ‘Marty Supreme’ due to its exploration of ambition, relentless passion, and the sacrifices necessary for greatness. You may watch it here.
3. Babylon (2022)
Helmed by Damien Chazelle, ‘Babylon‘ is a comedy-drama that delves into the excesses of hedonism, ambition, and secrecy through the lives of several characters as Hollywood goes from silent pictures to sound films in the 1920s. The narrative chronicles the struggles of aspiring actress Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) as she seeks authenticity in the one-sided, demanding world of the film business. Simultaneously, established film star Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt) battles his fading relevance during a period of rapid industry transformation, while Mexican immigrant Manny Torres (Diego Calva) grapples with the sacrifices his Hollywood dreams demand in a foreign land. The ideas of hustle, survival, and the complexities of the American Dream that Marty deals with in ‘Marty Supreme’ are reflected in the journey of the film’s interwoven characters. It is streaming on Netflix.
2. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Directed by Martin Scorsese, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ chronicles the tumultuous life of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). The comedy crime film explores Jordan’s meteoric and morally corrupt rise on Wall Street. He goes from a beginner on the streets to the head of his own brokerage firm established with friends. His success is built on aggressive, unethical tactics, immersing him in a life of desire, crime, and lust. However, this pursuit of hedonism eventually strains his personal relationships, including his marriage.
The immense pressure of the corporate world forces him to confront his nature as a human being in an immoral world. Based on true events and Jordan Belfort’s eponymous memoir, the black comedy film is spiritually and visually connected to ‘Marty Supreme’ through its depiction of American culture, individual ambition, complicated romantic lives, and the struggle for relevance. You can enjoy the movie here.
Related
1. Whiplash (2014)
‘Whiplash,’ a psychological drama film, explores the obsessive ambition of Andrew Nieman (Miles Teller), a young and ambitious jazz drummer in NYC. He gets into the Shaffer Conservatory, where he is tutored by an extremely rude, aggressive, and demanding coach named Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons). Nieman confronts Fletcher’s brutal and exceptionally high standards for absolute perfection as a volatile and toxic relationship forms between the two men. Directed by Damien Chazelle and based on his eponymous short film, it vividly portrays the intense emotional vulnerabilities of Nieman as he faces increasingly impossible musical pieces that he must master.
The teacher and student push each other to extremes in a musical battle of egos that may change their lives forever. Like Marty in ‘Marty Supreme,’ Nieman goes through overwhelming challenges and desperate situations to achieve his dreams. Both films comment on obsession with craft, the cost of success and the spirit of individualism, while also featuring intense visual elements. The movie is available on Netflix.
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