“Marty Supreme” – or “Great Marty” has been one of the most popular works of the last two months, which was talked about abundantly; An energetic and attractive film that has the familiar signatures of the Safadis, it is sometimes funny, sometimes suspenseful and sometimes surprising. But “Marty Supreme” is not the only good sports work of recent years and we have some interesting movies like it that are worth watching.
The trump card of “Marty Supreme” is the good performance of Timothée Chalamet, which was both praised by critics and won him a Golden Globe Award. He plays a table tennis player who is more like an anti-hero. He wants to win at any cost and in this way, he is willing to do anything.
The film was inspired by the real life of Marty Risen, the famous ping pong champion, but Josh Safadi, unlike his brother, Benny Safadi, who tried to create a pseudo-documentary work with “The Beating Machine”, here tried to provide a dramatized and exciting impression of real events. Marty Supreme, however, despite all its positive qualities, is not unique. Cinema has repeatedly gone to stories in which sport is not a physical competition, but a battleground for identity, social class, pride and survival. “Marty Supreme” may have its own mood, but in terms of structure and human concerns, it follows the important works that came before it.
So if you enjoyed watching this movie, you will probably relate to the fascinating works we introduce in this article, as they are mostly about ambitious, damaged and rebellious athletes. These 10 films may not be visually similar to “Marty Supreme”, but they follow a similar path thematically.
8- I, Tonya
- Release year: 2017
- Director: Craig Gillespie
- Actors: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Julian Nicholson, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Paul Walter Hauser, Bojana Novakovic
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 7.5 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 90 out of 100
“I Am Tonya” is a documentary about the controversial figure of figure skating, Tonya Harding; The talented but ill-fated figure skater is remembered more for the big scandal of 1994 than for his medals and records. Margot Robbie as Tonya portrays a woman who learns from childhood to fight for survival, even if this fight destroys her in the end.
The film focuses specifically on the toxic relationships in Tonya’s life: a cold mother (Allison Janney), and an unstable husband (Sebastian Stan). These relationships, as much as they contribute to the breakdown of Tonya’s personality, explain why she was always an “outsider” in the world of figure skating. By breaking the fourth wall and being playful in the narrative, “I am Tonya” tells the truth from different angles and makes the audience constantly ask themselves what exactly is the truth?
The main similarity between “I Am Tonya” and “Marty Supreme” is in the way it looks at the hero of the story. Both films focus on flawed, nervous and sometimes indefensible human beings instead of creating myths. Both Tonya and Marty are hungry for recognition, both have been hurt by the system that governs their sport, and both make choices to get where they think they are rightfully at, costing more than they ever imagined.
7- The Boxer
- Release year: 1997
- Director: Jim Sheridan
- Actors: Daniel Day-Lewis, Emily Watson, Brian Cox, Ken Stott, Gerald McSorley, Ian McElhinney
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 7 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 80 out of 100
“The Boxer” is a classic sports drama, but we soon realize that the boxing, the ring and the grueling training are just the skin of the film. We are dealing with the story of a man who tries to find meaning in his life again after years of imprisonment and violence. Danny Flynn (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a boxer who used to be a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and his past has cast a heavy shadow on his current life.
Danny’s return to a society still mired in the bloody conflict in Northern Ireland is not easy. Not only does he have to deal with the mental scars and memories of prison, but he is constantly caught between a violent past and the future he dreams of. Starting a boxing club for boys is his attempt to break the cycle of violence; An attempt to ensure that the next generation does not have to follow the same path that he went.
In “Boxer”, sport is introduced as a tool for salvation. With every punch, Danny fights not only his opponent, but his own guilt, regret, and pent-up anger. From this point of view, although Danny’s life does not directly resemble Marty’s, both characters meet at a common point: determined men who want to make meaning for themselves out of chaos (be it political, social, or personal). Both live in a world that keeps pulling them back, and both have only their own skill and will.
Among Daniel Day-Lewis’ prominent roles, “The Boxer” has received less attention, but during its release, it was praised by critics and received three Golden Globe nominations. This movie ignores the stereotypes of the sports genre, goes bitter and defines the concept of victory in reconciliation with oneself.
6- White Men Can’t Jump
- Release year: 1992
- Director: Ron Shelton
- Actors: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez, Tyra Ferrell, Silk Cozart, Kadeem Hardison, John Marshall Jones
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 6.8 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 75 out of 100
“White Men Can’t Jump” has a completely different mood than the two aforementioned films; A funny movie with clever dialogues and good chemistry between Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, which is undoubtedly one of the best sports comedies of the 90s. However, here too, if we put aside the colorful and humorous appearance of the film, we will face a more serious story.
Billy (Woody Harrelson) is a street hustler who uses racial prejudice to his advantage. He pretends to be a clumsy white man just to win the bets. The arrival of Sidney (Wesley Snipes), a smart, arrogant and equally opportunistic player, changes the equation. The relationship between these two is full of competition, mistrust, friendship and small betrayals.
Unlike most sports movies that portray success as linear and heroic, White Men Can’t Jump presents a more realistic picture of survival. Here, basketball is not just a game; It’s a way to pay rent, escape debt, maintain pride and survive in a city where life is getting harder every day. The film satirically deals with the financial obstacles, emotional failures and social pressures of its characters and shows that talent, without street smarts and luck, is not always enough.
From this point of view, the similarity of the film with “Marty Supreme” is obvious. Both films are about a fraud; About people who deliberately blur the line between morality and fraud, because the system is designed against them from the beginning. As Marty looks for shortcuts to success in the world of ping pong, Billy and Sydney bend the rules of the game in their favor on the asphalt basketball courts.
“White Men Can’t Jump” was successful at the time of its release and gradually became a cultural reference; A film whose dialogues are still quoted and whose look at race, competition and survival remains fresh and debatable. Just like Marty Supreme, this movie is a reminder that in the world of sports – and perhaps in life – it’s not always the person who plays clean who wins; Someone who knows how to survive the predicament.
5- Billiard player (The Hustler)
- Release year: 1961
- Director: Robert Rossen
- Actors: Paul Newman, Piper Lowry, George C. Scott, Jackie Gleason, Myron McCormick, Blue Washington
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 7.9 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 94 out of 100
Ahead of its time, “Billiard Player” is an enduring sports drama that paints a stark and accurate picture of the failure of the American dream. Eddie (Paul Newman) is a billiards genius, but what drives him forward isn’t talent; His pathological obsession is to prove his superiority. So Eddie’s rivalry with Minnesota (Jackie Gleason) becomes more than just a pool match.
Eddie wants to win to prove he’s “the best,” while Minnesota wants to win because she knows how to win. Around Eddie, there are characters like Brett Gordon (George C. Scott), who represent the ruthless world of betting, exploiting and trading the talent of others; A world that swallows you very easily if you are not careful.
“Billiard Player”, just like “Marty Supreme”, is about men who live in a special and closed corner of the sports world; Spaces that have their own rules and outside of them, the heroes of the film have almost no identity. Both Eddie and Marty are con artists, but not for the money, to maintain the image they’ve built of themselves. Victory for them is more than a result; It is a kind of addiction. Both films show that this endless thirst for “being the best” often comes at the cost of losing human relationships, peace of mind, and even self-respect.
Billiards was a commercial success and met with positive reviews, eventually earning nine Oscar nominations and taking home two awards. “The Billiard Player” is one of the best sports movies in history and, of course, a reflection of the ambition of modern man.
4- The Color of Money
- Release year: 1986
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Actors: Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Master Antonio, Helen Shaver, John Turturro, Bill Cobbs, Forest Whitaker
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 7 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 87 out of 100
If “Billiarder” was about youthful pride, “The Color of Money” is about the price of experience. Martin Scorsese brings back Eddie (Paul Newman) in this sequel; But this time in the form of a tired, smart and slightly bitter man who manages the matches more than he plays. Paul Newman appears so mature in this role, as if he has injected real life into the film for years; The role that finally brought him the Oscar for the best actor.
In front of Eddie is Vincent (Tom Cruise); An energetic, narcissistic and reckless youth who has talent, but lacks patience and a deep understanding of the game. The relationship between these two is more than a teacher and student; It is a battle between two generations, who thinks they know everything and who really knows how the world works. Eddie tries to teach Vincent that billiards is not just about accurate shots, it’s about controlling people, space and moments.
“The Color of Money” raises the same questions we have in “Marty Supreme”: Is fraud an art or a moral fall? The film shows that even as an ambitious hero grows older and wiser, the temptation to win never completely disappears, it just changes form.
3- The Fighter
- Release year: 2010
- Director: David O. Russell
- Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Liu, Paul Campbell, Frank Renzoli, Bianca Hunter, Sugar Ray Leonard
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 7.8 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 91 out of 100
“The Boxer” is one of the most humane sports movies of the last two decades. There is no exaggerated mythmaking here; The camera cuts to the heart of real life, where a hero is forged not in the ring, but in family turmoil, poverty and addiction. Mickey (Mark Wahlberg) is a talented boxer who is caught in a chain of toxic relationships and his personal life does not allow him to flourish.
Mickey’s biggest challenge—and source of inspiration—is his brother Dickie (Christian Bale). Dickie was a hero in the past but fell victim to addiction and now lives in the past. The relationship between these two is the beating heart of the film; A love mixed with jealousy, dependence and despair. Here, exercise is the only real chance to get out of the cycle of failure.
Like Marty Supreme, The Puncher is grounded in brutal realism. Success is neither sudden nor glorious; The result of painful decisions is cutting off close people and accepting responsibility. The film’s numerous awards (including Oscars for Best Supporting Actor for Christian Bale and Melissa Leo) show how much these actors are embedded in the narrative and have the opportunity to show off.
Here too, exercise is an excuse. What is important is man’s confrontation with ambition, pride, failure and hope; A story of those who want to get more than what the world has left for them, even if the cost is heavy.
2- Kingpin
- Release year: 1996
- Director: The Farley Brothers
- Actors: Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, Bill Murray, Daniel Green, Morgana, Chris Elliott, Rob Moran, Lynn Shea
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 6.9 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 51 out of 100
At first glance, “Sardesh” is what you expect from the creators of “Stupid and Stupid”: lots of jokes, exaggerated situations and characters that constantly push the boundaries of stupidity. But under this busy and sometimes rude appearance, a human story is hidden. The film tells the story of the fall and rise of Roy Manson” (Woody Harrelson); A former bowling champion whose one mistake and one physical injury destroyed his career and self-confidence.
Years later, we find Roy at a point where he has nothing left to lose: a bored, aimless alcoholic. The arrival of Ismail (Randy Quaid), a young bowler with pure talent but unaware of the outside world, provides Roy with another chance to both return to the tournament and save himself. “The Leader” is more of a comedy than a serious sports drama, but its main theme is familiar; Trying to find salvation through sports.
Roy, like Marty, is a man who lives on the fringes of society and all he has left is the skill that would make him special one day. Both characters know that their chances of success are slim, but this seemingly futile effort gives meaning to their story. The film received mixed reviews at the time of its release, but over time, views on it became more positive. “The Leader” is now considered a cult film.
1- Bend It Like Beckham
- Release year: 2002
- Director: Garinder Chadha
- Actors: Keira Knightley, Parminder Nagra, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Archie Punjabi, Anupam Kehir, Frank Harper
- Rating of IMDb users to the movie: 6.7 out of 10
- Rotten Tomatoes rating for the movie: 85 out of 100
Cut Like Beckham is an inspiring film that transforms sports into a platform for conversations about identity, culture and personal dreams. Jess and Pinky are two Indian-British sisters, one of whom loves football and the other is soon to be married. Jess’s family doesn’t want her to play soccer, so when she joins a local team, she has to hide it from her parents. There, Jess meets Jules (Keira Knightley), a middle-class white girl.
The attraction of the film is formed in the contrast between these two worlds. Jess must cope with the strict expectations of a traditional family who see her future in marriage and domestic life, not on the football field. On the other hand, Jules faces a kind of hidden mistrust; A society that still doesn’t fully believe that girls can be serious footballers. For both of them, soccer is more than just a sport: a way to redefine themselves.
Although the film is not structurally similar to “Marty Supreme”, but in the heart of the story, we see a similar concern: trying to break the restrictions imposed by society. Marty stands up against the brutal structures of the professional sports world; Jess against cultural traditions and expectations. Both have to pay for their dreams and both know that success is not guaranteed.
“Cut Like Beckham” is one of the good comedies of the first decade of the 21st century, which can inspire young girls, and it was met with positive feedback during the screening period. With an honest look and without slogans, the film reminds us that sports ambition can be an efficient tool to achieve personal freedom.
Source: collider
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