Marty Supreme is the best film of 2025, in my opinion. The film is an absolute full-force powerhouse that latches onto you from the opening title until the credits roll. Everything and everyone aligns so perfectly, creating a mesmerizing experience throughout each second, as every scene unfolds like a flawless pas de deux. Through each line of dialogue delivered, each unforgettable performance, and the masterful collaboration between Josh Safdie and Darius Khondji, every single frame feels like pure perfection.

I absolutely adore how much, like Uncut Gems, Josh Safdie and his casting crew assemble an incredibly unique group of actors who you otherwise would never see on screen with a different director. The layers of authenticity within the characters and their real-life cultures and backgrounds are funneled into such fluidity with every line of dialogue spoken. A film like Marty Supreme creates dialogue that is both tense and inspiring, becoming more and more unbelievable as it ramps up. Conversations feel like you are truly watching these characters live their lives, not like you’re watching an actual film. The character of Marty Mauser fits within the familiarity the Safdie’s like to portray—an incredibly selfish, destructive manipulator who only cares about the determined path he has set forth for himself.

Marty Mauser is a pure sadistic human being over the nearly nine-month span this film takes place, yet as an audience member, he is infectious to watch, and you itch to see what happens next. There are several lines of dialogue Marty says—especially to his childhood friend Rachel, played by Odessa A’zion, who he has gotten pregnant—that are so horrendously mean I almost felt insulted just watching him say them. My god, though, the way characters bounce off one another from script to screen, whether in good or bad moments, makes for some of my favorite scenes of the year, especially with the fantastic casting decisions.

Oh, Kevin O’Leary. Quite the real-life individual, no doubt, and he essentially plays himself to some degree in the film as an incredibly successful businessman who is also a prick. O’Leary plays Milton Rockwell, one of the best performances in this already great cast, and he is able to keep pace so impressively with Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, and others. As of writing this, Chalamet and O’Leary are the two biggest standouts in Marty Supreme. I think that’s because of how interlinked they become throughout the film, and in the worst ways. In the beginning, Marty is so overconfident and naive about his skills, making a boisterous move of dick-swinging confidence against Milton. Marty sleeps with his wife, Kay, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, and uniquely positions himself to get what he can from her and use her to get closer to Milton. Eventually, when Marty’s reality begins to chip away piece by piece, he is left humiliated and completely under Milton’s thumb.

I LOVE the way Marty destroys his future to compete in Tokyo when Kay decides to give him one of her diamond necklaces to help him pay for everything. Both of them—especially Marty in this instance—become infatuated with each other, leading to them having sex in the park at night, only to be stopped by a couple of police officers. To avoid being arrested, they are forced to bribe the police with the necklace Kay gave Marty. He later asks her for another one and eventually goes up to their apartment during an after-party, waiting outside. Kay is emotionally devastated after learning the theatrical play she has been working on received a bad review, which puts Marty in a position where he cannot speak to her. He’s forced to play his last chip with Milton, who offers him one final, desperate chance—through pain and humiliation in front of a group of wealthy men.

Another aspect that makes Marty Supreme so goddamn amazing is the incredible work of cinematographer Darius Khondji. Even in the most simplistic parts of a scene, he and Josh Safdie create something beautifully tense. They use long lenses in the most vibrant settings for something as simple as a conversation, or to heighten tension by locking onto a character while tracking them. The table tennis matches, of course, are where this shines the most, with long shots that are continuously zoomed in and transitioned through sharp cuts to angles that feel like you’ve been thrust face-first into the match.

How do you discuss a Safdie film without mentioning the magical composer Daniel Lopatin—more commonly known in the music world as Oneohtrix Point Never—who is a pure musical god when it comes to these scores? The chaos of a scene, Khondji’s camerawork, and Lopatin’s score combine to create some of the best and most memorable moments I’ve ever experienced in theaters, from Good Time to Uncut Gems, and now Marty Supreme. His skill in making every track so memorable and uniquely grandiose, with synth electronics mixed with intense bass—especially during the table tennis scenes—is absolutely unreal.

I cannot get enough of Marty Supreme. I have been thinking about it constantly. It really is just that good. It’s so good that it makes me want to drop all plans I have in life and dedicate everything I’ve got to making something half as good as what Marty Supreme is. There is no doubt a ton of amazing films that have come out in 2025, and No Other Choice and One Battle After Another certainly nip at the heels of Marty Supreme, but I adore this film so much, which is why I consider it my favorite of the year.