Overview
- The A24 feature is Josh Safdie’s solo outing, co-written with Ronald Bronstein, with Chalamet playing Marty Mauser, a hustler loosely inspired by table-tennis champion Marty Reisman.
- Early reception is overwhelmingly positive, with roughly 95–96% on Rotten Tomatoes and a high-80s Metacritic score, though a minority fault its moral framing and narrative sprawl.
- The film opens in U.S. theaters on Dec. 25 (Dec. 26 in the U.K.), runs about 149–150 minutes, and is rated R for language, sexual content and violence.
- Reviewers highlight the kinetic, genre-blending approach that reframes a 1950s sports tale as a high-energy character study of obsession and ambition.
- Craft and casting draw praise, including Darius Khondji’s 35mm cinematography, Daniel Lopatin’s ’80s-tinged score, Jack Fisk’s production design, and a supporting ensemble led by Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara and Fran Drescher.