‘Marty Supreme’ reframes Jewish American identity through Marty Mauser

In "Marty Supreme," Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Mauser delivers an unapologetic, often abrasive portrait of Jewish American life that includes a scene at the Ritz in London where, when asked about a Hungarian rival, he says he will do to that player what "Auschwitz couldn’t" and follows with "I’m going to finish the job." The line, and the film’s treatment of Marty’s identity, has been a central shock for viewers.

The remark draws a palpable reaction in audiences, the critic reports, and Marty quickly tries to justify it by saying he is allowed to speak that way because he is Jewish. The film’s portrayal has provoked a lively discussion online: some viewers see the characterization as bordering on antisemitic, while others, including the critic, regard "Marty Supreme" as a vital, uncompromising Jewish movie.

Director Josh Safdie and co-writer Ronald Bronstein are described as drawn to brash, troublemaking Jewish protagonists, as in their earlier work "Uncut Gems." Marty is presented not as a model minority but as a young, audacious player whose Jewishness is bound up with both Holocaust memory and the Lower East Side origins he wants to escape.

Key Topics

Culture, Marty Supreme, Marty Mauser, Josh Safdie, Timothée Chalamet, Ronald Bronstein