In the digital streaming era, one of the biggest flexes an artist can have is being a member of Spotify’s Billions Club, a playlist that highlights every song that has been streamed more than 1 billion times on the platform. Among the nearly 500 artists who have graced the glorified list are Mariah Carey (“All I Want for Christmas Is You”), Rihanna (“Needed Me”), Fleetwood Mac (“Dreams”), Kendrick Lamar (“All the Stars” featuring SZA), Billie Eilish (“Ocean Eyes”), but the distinction of having the most tracks — 24 to be exact — to hit 1 billion streams on Spotify belongs to the Weeknd.
To commemorate this milestone, the Toronto pop star teamed up with Spotify to host an intimate, invite-only concert with nearly 2,000 of his biggest fans — his top 10% listeners on the platform — on Tuesday night at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
“It’s a little holiday gift for the OG XO fans supporting me [since] Day 1,” the Weeknd said during his 70-minute set. “2024 is almost done, but 2025, we got some new s— coming out. New album. New tour. New movie. New everything. We’re shutting this s— down.” His upcoming album “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which is the third and final installment of his “After Hours” / “Dawn FM” trilogy,” will be supported by a psychological thriller starring the singer born Abel Tesfaye, alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan.
With the support of his longtime collaborator Mike Dean (on the keys) and guitarist Patrick Greenaway, the Weeknd performed 20 of the 24 songs that landed him on the Billions Club playlist including “Blinding Lights” (the most streamed song on Spotify), “The Hills,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” and “After Hours.” He also performed three additional songs for the energetic crowd, who knew every word, including “São Paulo,” “Timeless,” and “Wicked Games.”
“I know that song didn’t hit a billion, but I felt like I had to do it,” he said about “Wicked Games.” “It’s necessary, at least one ‘House of Balloons’ song.”
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Fans started lining up overnight at 4 a.m. for the highly anticipated show and a few folks traveled from Newark, N.J., for the chance to get inside even though they didn’t have tickets to the event. (Unfortunately, the aforementioned Jersey fans didn’t make it inside because they didn’t have a ticket.) The special night featured food trucks including L.A.’s beloved Kogi Korean BBQ, an open bar (for attendees 21 and up) and the Weeknd merchandise — all of which was free to attendees.
Fans take photos at the Weeknd’s show with Spotify on Tuesday at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
For an international superstar like the Weeknd, who regularly sells out arenas and stadiums around the globe, the event was a chance for fans to experience his music in a personal setting. In fact, it was likely the first time since his early days that he’s performed for an audience of fewer than 2,000 people. “It feels like back in the ‘Kiss Land’ tour,” he said. “Maybe after the stadium tour, we’ll go back to smaller venues. I like this.”
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Ashley Graver, who leads artist partnerships and is head of pop, dance and indie at Spotify, says the Weeknd and his team were involved throughout the entire process of putting together the show, including on the merch design, stage and sound design.
“This milestone really shows how massive the Weeknd’s impact is around the world,” she said. “His success is a testament to his artistry and his constant drive to push creative boundaries. Right now, ‘Blinding Lights’ is the most-streamed song on Spotify, even four years after it came out, which just goes to show how much staying power he has and how loyal his fans are.”
Before the show, we caught up with attendees to ask them about their fandom and what it means to be invited to such an exclusive event.
Elijah Shen Muralles, 21, left, and Cole Dizon, 20, attend the Weeknd’s show with Spotify on Tuesday in Santa Monica.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
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Cole Dizon and Elijah Shen Muralles
Age: Dizon: 20 Shen Muralles: 21
Neighborhood: Dizon: Lancaster Shen Muralles: South Gate
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? Dizon: About two years ago, one of my friends showed me a few songs — some of the mainstream ones like “Die For You” and “Blinding Lights.” I knew he was a household name, but once I started getting into the groove of it, I was like “OK, he’s pretty good.” Eventually, I went to his Spotify profile and started listening to more of his songs. I was like, “Hold on. I can see why he’s so popular. The trend has motion to it.” So I started listening to him more and more.
Shen Muralles: I would hear him here and there and he was always one of the big celebrities, but I didn’t really get deep into it until maybe like a year or two ago. My friend was just blasting his music all the time and I was like, “You know what, I’m going to hear this artist out.” After a few songs, I realized, “Oh my gosh. He’s one of the best sounding artists I’ve ever heard. I should’ve hopped onto the bandwagon sooner.”
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? Dizon: “I Feel It Coming.” Daft Punk is a classic. When the song dropped, I wasn’t on the bandwagon yet but listening to it recently I was like, first off, I remember this song. [Secondly], I’ve been sleeping on this because this is straight heat.
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Shen Muralles: “House of Balloons.” I’m a big fan of the first half. The second half is still really good. However, I think the first half, it’s just the beat, the lyrics, it really just gets me in the mood. Also, “Stargirl Interlude.” I’m a bit of a Lana Del Rey fan. Her voice just hard carries that song.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? Dizon: It’s super surreal. When I got the email [invite] from Spotify, I didn’t believe it was real… We got here and saw the line and I was like, “Holy smokes! This is actually legitimate.” We were stressing in line cause we thought we weren’t going to get in… I’m going to see him in like four weeks from now [at his tour], so to me this is not only a wonderful surprise, but it’s a great love letter to his fans.
Shen Muralles: I’m not one to drop a whole lot of money to go to concerts, so to get to come to something like this with Spotify is like, “Wow, this is crazy.” I’m just so grateful to be here because this is like a once in a lifetime opportunity for me… This is a Christmas gift right here.
Friends America Maldonado, left, Maya Garcia and Kessai Suksanguan were among the first people in line at the Weeknd’s Spotify show in Santa Monica.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
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America Maldonado, Maya Garcia and Kessai Suksanguan
Age: Maldonado: 21 Garcia: 21 Suksanguan: 19
Neighborhood: Maldonado: Downtown L.A. Garcia: Bellflower Suksanguan: Long Beach
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? Maldonado: Since I was 13. I would listen to his mixtapes.
Garcia: Probably since middle school.
Suksanguan: Around middle school. I would hear him a lot on the radio.
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What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? Maldonado: “Adaptation.” It’s just a beautiful story. If you listen to [the album] “Kiss Land,” every song ends and it just continues on with the story.
Garcia: I know it’s basic, but I’m going to say “Earned It.” It’s super catchy and it highlights his voice, which I love.
Suksanguan: “After Hours.” I really like the style of that whole album and that time period for him.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? Maldonado: It feels amazing. Unfortunately, I’ve only seen him perform live twice. I’ve been listening to him for so long, but to be a part of this free event where I feel comfortable, is great.
Garcia: I’m honestly so glad that he’s doing this show in L.A. I just love being here in L.A.
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Suksanguan: I think it’s just really special that it was free and invite only, so it makes us feel really wanted and really special. And the fact that it’s close to us too, it’s really convenient.
Hamza Akmal, left, Adeeb Ali and Ameer Ali attend the Weeknd’s Billions Club show in collaboration with Spotify on Tuesday at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Hamza Akmal, Adeeb Ali and Ameer Ali
Age: Ameer: 25 Adeeb: 28 Akmal: 29
Neighborhood: Ameer: Whittier Adeeb: West Covina Akmal: Culver City
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How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? Ameer: The Drake collabs made me a fan. The songs were very unique. I’d never heard anything like that at the time. Adeeb: I became a fan when I heard him on “Crew Love” with Drake. I was like, “This guy is good.” Akmal: I became a fan around high school [around] like 2011. A couple of my friends liked to explore a lot of new music and they told me to check him out, so I’ve been listening since then.
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? Ameer: I’m a big Michael Jackson fan. I love how the Weeknd did “Dirty Diana” [with his song] “D.D.” Adeeb: “Out of Time.” It’s just so pretty. He sampled some Japanese city pop and it sounded really nice. Akmal: Probably “The Hills.” It’s just too catchy for me. I just love the beat of it and everything.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? Ameer: It’s exciting. Adeeb: It seemed a little too good to be true. I was like, “Are we being set up right now?” And like, no, it’s just super cool. Akmal: Coming to this, I didn’t really know what to expect, but based on what I’m seeing, it’s really cool to be here.
Mother and daughter, Kenyah Moore, 18, and Shenita Moore, 48, attend a show put on by Spotify to celebrate the Weeknd on Tuesday.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
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Shenita and Kenyah Moore
Age: Kenyah: 18 Shenita: 48
Neighborhood: Kenyah: Santa Monica Shenita: Santa Monica
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? Kenyah: He’s just always been there. Growing up, he’s one of the most popular artists of my generation. Shenita: I’m just here supporting her, but I am familiar with his music.
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? Kenyah: “In the Night.” I like the story that it tells.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? Kenyah: I’m glad I saw the email. It’s a pretty cool thing that he achieved — to get that many songs over 1 billion [streams].
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Grace Chandler, left, Jessie Sheridan and Isabella Elsesser were among the nearly 2,000 fans who were invited to attend the Weeknd’s Spotify show.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Grace Chandler, Jessie Sheridan and Isabella Elsesser
Age: Chandler: 20 Sheridan: 20 Elsesser: 19
Neighborhood: Chandler: Long Beach Sheridan: San Luis Obispo Elsesser: Long Beach
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? Chandler: It had to have been when I was in the fifth grade when “The Hills” came out. Everyone was singing that song and I would play it 24/7 with my mom and my sister. Respectfully. It was just the beat. It just started from there.
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Sheridan: Since the third grade. My sister put me on. I have no idea what album it was, but that was my life. I’ve been singing his music since the third grade. He will always and forever be my guy.
Elsesser: I heard about him from “The Hills” but it was the Echos Remix. There’s a woman who sings it in a house, dubstep kind of way and I was always into dubstep. I was like, “Yes. Yes. I love this.”
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? Chandler: “Stargirl Interlude” and “Save Your Tears.” Sheridan: “Stargirl Interlude.” Elsesser: “The Morning” [starts singing song]. It’s empowering. I feel like I’m the girl. I’m like “Yeah, I’m the money. I’m the motive.” I also love “São Paulo” with Anitta. It’s so fire.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? Chandler: Unreal! Sheridan: So exciting. Elsesser: I’m excited to dance.
Zachary Cutting, 37, of Belmont, Calif., wears an exclusive hoodie from the Weeknd’s Spotify Billions Club performance on Tuesday.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
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Zachary Cutting
Age: 37
Neighborhood: Belmont, Calif.
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? I was doing security at the Fonda Theatre, but he wasn’t popular yet. I heard him performing. He did the “Dirty Diana” song and I liked that, so from then on, I followed his career and I’ve been a fan ever since.
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? “Is There Someone Else?” Sometimes I be wondering… with the person I’m talking to, like, “Is there someone else?” [laughs]
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How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? I’ve only seen him perform that one time, so I’m excited.
Carmen Flores, 25, and Marco De La Cruz, 26, of Maywood arrived at the Barker Hangar early so they could attend the Weeknd’s Billions Club show with Spotify.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Carmen Flores and Marco De La Cruz
Age: Flores: 25 De La Cruz: 26
Neighborhood: Maywood
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How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? Flores: I think I was in middle school. My sister asked if I ever heard of his music.
De La Cruz: Around 2015-2016, probably during the “Trilogy” era.
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? Flores: “Faith.” First of all, I think it’s a very fun song. Just meaning of faith and how it transitions into [the next song, “Blinding Lights”]. It’s very underrated.
De La Cruz: “After Hours.” Just the whole production on that song and his vocals.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? Flores: It means everything. But I will be seeing him again next month and I also saw him with Mike Dean on March 1 at the Wiltern when he came out with Travis Scott and it was the best thing ever.
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David Reyes, 19, of Riverside became a fan of the Weeknd after his sister put him onto the pop star’s “Starboy” album.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
David Reyes
Age: 19
Neighborhood: Riverside
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? My sister put me on when “Starboy” came out. She always played it.
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What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? “Die For You” for sure. It’s just a classic. 10/10.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? It’s very unique how Spotify and Abel are doing this for his fans. It’s just cool how artists actually care for their fans.
Catherine Carrasco, 25, and Jonathan Serna, 26, were among the first fans in line at the Weeknd’s exclusive Billions Club show put on by Spotify.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
Jonathan Serna and Catherine Carrasco
Age: Carrasco: 25 Serna: 26
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Neighborhood: Carrasco: Santa Ana Serna: Santa Ana
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? Carrasco: In 2015. I was a sophomore in high school. I think the first song that I listened to by him was “The Morning” and I got introduced to his music by an ex-boyfriend. [laughs] I got this hoodie a while ago and then his first concert I went to was the “Starboy” [tour]. Serna: When “Starboy” released, I kept listening to it on repeat like crazy. After that, I listened to everything he’s made and I became a fan. I wasn’t a big fan until “After Hours” [though].
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? Carrasco: That’s such a hard question. I think “The Birds Pt. 1” and Pt. 2. I love every song by him, but I have those on repeat. He’s No. 1 on my Spotify Wrapped every year. Serna: “After Hours.” He was No. 1 on my Wrapped.
How does it feel to be at this exclusive show? Carrasco: I’m like shaking. I’m excited. I’ve seen him a couple of times, but this is a free event. Serna: It’s amazing. I didn’t think I was going to get it. When I got the [email], I just went on break at my job. They gave you like 20 minutes to respond and I know she would’ve killed me if I didn’t.
Katherine Martinez, left, Jorge Martinez and Angelina Bomar flew to L.A. from New Jersey for the chance to attend the Weeknd’s Spotify show.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
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Jorge Martinez
Age: 20
Neighborhood: We live in Newark, N.J. I saw a couple of TikToks like two days ago about the Spotify event. Unfortunately, we’re on Apple Music so we didn’t get the invite, but I was like maybe Abel might stop and sign our vinyl. She has on her “After Hours” hoodie. We came here for the SoFi show in November for the three-year anniversary. [Then we came back for this], so we traveled a long way.
How long have you been a fan of the Weeknd? I’ve been a big fan since “After Hours” came out. It was really good. It was a dream seeing him in concert [at his recent show]. The next dream is hopefully meeting him.
What’s your favorite song by the Weeknd? “After Hours.” The way it slowly transitions to the beat drop — I like the 808s.
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You flew out to L.A. just for the chance to see the show even though you don’t have tickets. Why was it important to you? It would mean a lot for us to make it inside of the show or even to meet him, that would be amazing too. We’re planning to maybe fly out to the Rose Bowl show. But we got to try it out.
[Unfortunately, Jorge, his girlfriend and sister didn’t make it inside of the show because they didn’t have tickets.]
The Tiger Is the Tank. Or rather, the type of German tank that gives the film its international title—just in case anyone might confuse this war story with an adventure movie involving wild animals. The tank itself is the film’s container, much as The Boat was in the legendary 1981 film it openly seeks to emulate in more than one respect, or as the more recent tank was in the Israeli film Lebanon (2009). Yes, much of Dennis Gansel’s movie unfolds inside a tank called Tiger, but what it is ultimately trying to tell goes well beyond its cramped metal walls.
This large-scale Prime Video war production has been described by many as the platform’s answer to Netflix’s success with All Quiet on the Western Front, the highly decorated German film released in 2022. In practice, it is a very different proposition. Despite the fanfare surrounding its release—Amazon even gave it a theatrical run a few months ago, something it rarely does—the film made a far more modest impact. Watching it, the reasons become clear. This is a darker, stranger movie, one that flirts as much with horror as with monotony, and that positions itself less as a traditional war film than as an ethical and philosophical meditation on warfare.
The first section—an intense and technically impressive combat sequence—takes place during what would later be known as the Battle of the Dnieper, which unfolded over several months in 1943 on the Eastern Front, as Soviet forces pushed back the Nazi advance. Der Tiger is the type of tank carrying a compact platoon—played by David Schütter, Laurence Rupp, Leonard Kunz, Sebastian Urzendowsky, and Yoran Leicher—that miraculously survives the aerial destruction of a bridge over the river.
Soon afterward—or so it seems—the group is assigned a mission that, at least in its initial setup, recalls Saving Private Ryan. Lieutenant Gerkens (Schütter) is ordered to rescue Colonel Von Harnenburg, stranded behind enemy lines. From there, the film becomes a journey through an infernal landscape of ruined cities, corpses, forests, and fog—a setting that, thanks to the way it is shot, feels more fantastical than realistic.
That choice is no accident. As the journey begins to echo Apocalypse Now, it becomes clear that the film is less interested in conventional suspense—mines on the road, the threat of ambush—than in the strangeness of its situations and environments. When the tank plunges into the water and briefly operates like a submarine, one may reasonably wonder whether such technology actually existed in the 1940s, or whether the film has deliberately drifted into a more extravagant, symbolic territory.
This is the kind of film whose ending is likely to inspire more frustration than affection. Though heavily foreshadowed, it is the sort of conclusion that tends to irritate audiences: cryptic, somewhat open-ended, and more suggestive than explicit. That makes sense, given that the film is less concerned with depicting the daily mechanics of war than with grappling with its aftermath—ethical, moral, psychological, and physical.
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In its own way, The Tank functions as a kind of mea culpa. The platoon becomes a microcosm of a nation that “followed orders” and committed—or allowed to be committed—horrific acts in its name. The flashbacks scattered throughout the film make this point unmistakably clear. The problem is that, while these ideas may sound compelling when summarized in a few sentences (or in a review), the film never manages to turn them into something fully alive—narratively, visually, or dramatically.
Only in brief moments—largely thanks to Gerkens’s perpetually worried, anguished expression—do those ideas achieve genuine cinematic weight. They are not enough, however, to sustain a two-hour runtime that increasingly feels repetitive and inert. Unlike the films by Steven Spielberg, Wolfgang Petersen, Francis Ford Coppola, and others it so clearly references, The Tank remains closer to a concept than to a drama, more an intriguing reflection than a truly effective film.
Will Smith and his company Treyball Studios Management Inc. are being sued by an electric violinist who is claiming wrongful termination, retaliation and sexual harassment — allegations denied by the actor-rapper-producer in a statement from his attorney.
Brian King Joseph alleges in a lawsuit filed earlier this week that Smith hired him to perform on the 2025 Based on a True Story tour, then fired him before the tour began in earnest in Europe and the U.K.
Joseph, who finished third in Season 13 of “America’s Got Talent,” went onto Instagram in the days before filing his lawsuit and posted a Dec. 27 video saying that he had been hired for “a major, major tour with somebody who is huge in the industry” but “some things happened” that he couldn’t discuss because it was a legal matter.
Electric violinist Brian King Joseph, seen performing at an awards show last October, is suing for wrongful termination, retaliation and sexual harassment.
(Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images for Media Access Awards)
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But, he said, “Getting fired or getting blamed or shamed or threatened or anything like that, simply for reporting sexual misconduct or safety threats at work, is not OK. And I know that there’s a lot of other people out there who have been afraid to speak up, and I understand. If that’s you, I see you. … More updates to come soon.”
In the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court and reviewed by The Times, Joseph alleges that he and Smith struck up a professional relationship in November 2024, after which Joseph performed at two of Smith’s shows in San Diego and was invited to perform on several tracks for Smith’s “Based on a True Story” album, which was released March 28.
After the performances in San Diego, Joseph posted video of a show on Instagram with the caption, “What an honor to share the stage with such legends and a dream team of musicians. From playing in the streets to sharing my music on stages like this, this journey has been nothing short of magic — and this is just the beginning. Grateful beyond words for every single person who made this possible.”
While working on the album, the lawsuit alleges, “Smith and [Joseph] began spending additional time alone, with Smith even telling [Joseph] that ‘You and I have such a special connection, that I don’t have with anyone else,’ and other similar expressions indicating his closeness to [Joseph].”
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Joseph soon joined Smith and crew for a performance in Las Vegas, the lawsuit says — on March 20 at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay — with Smith’s team booking rooms for everyone involved. Joseph left his bag, which contained his room key, in a van that took performers to rehearsal, and then the bag went missing for a couple of hours after he requested someone get it for him, the suit says.
When Joseph returned to his room late that night, according to the complaint, he found evidence that someone had entered his room without his permission.
“The evidence included a handwritten note addressed to Plaintiff by name, which read ‘Brian, I’ll be back no later [sic] 5:30, just us (drawn heart), Stone F.,’” the document says. “Among the remaining belongings were wipes, a beer bottle, a red backpack, a bottle of HIV medication with another individual’s name, an earring, and hospital discharge paperwork belonging to a person unbeknownst to Plaintiff.”
Joseph worried that “an unknown individual would soon return to his room to engage in sexual acts” with him, the complaint says.
It adds that Joseph, “concerned for his safety and the safety of his fellow performers and crew,” alerted hotel security and representatives for Treyball and Smith, took pictures, requested a new room and reported the incident to police using a non-emergency line. Hotel security found no signs of forced entry, and Joseph flew home the next day.
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Several days later, rather than being called on to join the next part of the tour, a Treyball representative told him the tour was “going in a different direction,” the lawsuit says, and that his services were no longer needed. The representative “redirected the blame for the termination onto [Joseph], replying, ‘I don’t know, you tell me, because everyone is telling me that what happened to you is a lie, nothing happened, and you made the whole thing up. So, tell me, why did you lie and make this up?’ [Joseph], shocked at the accusation, had nothing further to say,” as he believed the reports and evidence from Las Vegas spoke for themselves.
Joseph alleges in the lawsuit that as a result of events in Las Vegas and in the days immediately afterward, he suffered severe emotional distress, economic loss and harm to his reputation. He also alleges that the stress of losing the job caused his health to deteriorate and that he suffered PTSD and other mental illness after the termination.
“The facts strongly suggest that Defendant Willard Carroll Smith II was deliberately grooming and priming Mr. Joseph for further sexual exploitation,” the lawsuit alleges. “The sequence of events, Smith’s prior statements to Plaintiff, and the circumstances of the hotel intrusion all point to a pattern of predatory behavior rather than an isolated incident.”
The Times was unable to reach publicists or a lawyer for Will Smith because of the holiday. However, Smith attorney Allen B. Grodsky told Fox News on Thursday that “Mr. Joseph’s allegations concerning my client are false, baseless and reckless. They are categorically denied, and we will use all legal means available to address these claims and to ensure that the truth is brought to light.”
Joseph’s attorney, Jonathan J. Delshad, recently filed sexual assault civil suits against Tyler Perry on behalf of actors who say they were not hired for future work by the billionaire movie and TV producer after they rejected his alleged advances.
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Joseph is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and payment of attorney fees in an amount to be determined at trial.
The Based on a True Story tour played 26 dates in Europe and the U.K. last summer. Nine of the acts were headlining gigs, while the rest were festivals.
By John E. Finley-Weaver in San DiegoJohn E. Finley-Weaver (SDJW photo)
My wife convinced me to watch a movie about ping pong. And, having acquiesced to her proposal, I dove face-first into a kettle of willful ignorance, knowing only that Some Guy Timothée Chalamet of Dune 1 and Dune 2 and A Complete Unknown (another of her suggestions) was the lead, and that what we were soon to watch might move me. Or, at the very least, that it might entertain me.
The movie did not disappoint.
In fact, Marty Supreme is the absolute best film about table tennis that I have ever seen. And I’ve seen all of one of them so far, although I am aware of and have seen a few clips of Robert Ben Garant’s Balls of Fury.
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But, holy mackerel, Marty Supreme is not just a movie about some lanky goniff whose inner craving for focused dominance in one specific realm compels him to pursue a shiny, sportsball “X” trophy, culminating in a crowd-pleasing, applause roar of triumph . . . a n d . . . cut to the end credits, supplemented by a catchy, happy song . . . . “Honey, let’s get to the restroom, fast!”
Uh-uh. Nay. Marty Supreme is a lived-in world (like the Star Wars universe, but way different and way better) populated by tactile characters, each of whom has their own, inferred history and glob of yearnings. And they have warts. Lots of warts. Warts and all.
Marty Mauser, the Jewish protagonist of Marty Supreme, is a plucky ping pong imp and shoe salesman, in addition to being a nimble and loquacious malarkey artist. He is also a shockingly-gawdawful, verbal bastard person to his mother, played by Fran Drescher, who left her specific, discount Phyllis Diller voice in the dustbin of screen history where it belongs, much to the contentment of my sensitive ears.
Marty Mauser is even more a womanizer and a thief. And he is a delight. And, because boring, nice boys don’t have movies made about them, he does something for his ema that is chutzpahdik, illegal, vandalicious, unhistorical, and tear-inducingly sweet.
And again, dear Reader, I went into this movie knowing most of nothing about it. If you are like me, fear not: I shan’t disclose the plot.
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Marty Mauser’s partners in life and “crime” are the facially-delicious Rachel, played by Odessa A’zion and best bud Wally, performed by Tyler Okonma, each complementarily savvy to Marty’s needs and wants.
The remainder of the film’s actors is a gathering of casting directorial genius: Kevin O’Leary, the that guy from some reality television show that I will never watch; Gwyneth Paltrow; director Abel Ferrara; Sandra Bernhard, my lukewarm, high school “bad girl” crush; Géza Röhrig, whose character is seven year’s fresh from a Nazi death camp and hauntingly beautiful; Koto Kawaguchi, the movie-world champion and legally-deaf Tommy-esque pinball wizard of ping pong and real-world champion of the game; Pico Iyer, Indo-Limey travel writer, meditator, and inveterate outsider; George Gerwin, a very retired basketball player; Ted Williams and his golden voice; Penn Jillette, agrarian and blasty; Isaac Mizrahi, obviously “out” in 1952; and David freaking Mamet.
Gush.
And great googly woogly. They all do their jobs so gosh darn well that I don’t notice them as actors acting.
And then, as I have done since I was a child, for science fiction books, for television, and for movies, I recast, in my mind’s eye, all of the characters and their associated journeys as different people. I made an all-Negro cast of the film. And it worked. No radical changes to the script were necessary. I did the same for a spunky, mid-West farm girl as the lead. That worked. I tried again, using a Colombian lesbian. That worked too.
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I praise the cinematic vision of Director Josh Safdie. I praise the wide accessibility of the script he co-wrote with Ronald Bronstein: Thank you. The expected plot points, the tropes of moviedom, the “inevitable” happenings of standard movies never really happened. Marty Supreme zaggled and Zelig’d when I expected it to zig.
A lesser film would not have surprised me in most of its story structure, its scenes, or its character paths. A lesser film would have had me in my seat, either smugly prognosticating the next events, or non-thinkingly rapt for entire scenes. This film, this masterpiece of storytelling and visual and aural execution outsmarted me. It outsmarted my movie mind, and for that, I am grateful.
Marty Supreme is a very Brooklyn Jewy movie, but it sings from the standard Humanity of us all, to each of us. And that is movie making at its finest.
* Cinema buff John E. Finley-Weaver is a freelance writer based in San Diego.
