Timothée Chalamet has made it quite clear since A Complete Unknown that he’s gunning for an Oscar win. With his latest performance in A24’s Marty Supreme, he might just get it.

That incessant drive to win is a core characteristic of Marty Mauser (Chalamet, inspired partially by real-life player Marty Reisman), a fast-talking, self-promoting table tennis (don’t let him hear you call it ping-pong) star trying to hit it big in 1952 New York City. Despite what his last name suggests, Marty wants to assures everyone that there’s nothing “little” about him. In his mind, he’s the next big star, destined to cement America’s cultural dominance in the sport and rake in as much trophies and Wheaties box covers an athlete can desire. In other words, this young man has very big balls to balance out the little ones he hits, albeit when not screwing everyone else over. Either way, Marty Supreme makes this journey at once compelling and endlessly nerve-wracking, cementing itself as an end-of-the-year highlight.

If this archetype seems familiar, it should. Director Josh Safdie explored a similar addict personality in Uncut Gems, where every single one of protagonist Howard Ratner’s deals, gambles, and hustles did little to satisfy his need to find the next big score. In his first solo film without brother Benny Safdie, the elder Safdie might as well be scrutinizing Howard’s ancestor or past life. For Marty, the only thing worse than mediocrity is anonymity. Selling shoes in his uncle’s store is not his vision of the future, even if he’s being asked to take over the family business and think of a career beyond table tennis. Marty prefers to play, whether in underground sports bars or highly publicized matches overseas, constantly doubling as his biggest hype man and worst enemy.

While his skills are legitimate, Marty’s mouth (and other body parts) repeatedly get him in trouble. He’s already having an affair with his neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion), causing a pregnancy that will certainly set her boorish husband, Ira (Emory Cohen), off when he learns the truth. He resents the manipulations of his mother (Fran Drescher), yet does the same toward his friend Dion (Luke Manley) for much of the film’s back half. Nor is Marty above manipulating socialites either, repeatedly pursuing the older, faded movie star Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) after crossing paths with her on tour. Whether because he likes her, wants her money, or the bigger wallet of her husband, mogul Milton Rockwell (Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary), to get him back in the game is anyone’s guess. He will say literally anything to get what he wants.

Marty’s dreams and ego are quickly punctured after losing in epic fashion to a Japanese table tennis champion, whose unique wooden paddle and reverse grip leave the American humiliated and devoid of a ticket to the next global tournament. All that matters now is getting enough money to afford the trip and prove himself again in Japan. In his mind, any manipulation used to get there is just another stepping stone to greatness. But the more he schmoozes and schemes, the worse his circumstances become. There’s a never-ending stream of highs and lows, of ups and downs, that place Marty on the cusp of getting a win, only for fate or his big mouth to let it slip away again.

While Marty Supreme isn’t quite as stress-inducing a ride as Uncut Gems, cinematographer Darius Khondji ensures there are plenty of visual bumps to keep viewers on their toes. The symbolism of ambition vs. human fragility definitely carries over between films: Uncut Gems opened with a transition from the inside of an opal to a man’s colon; Marty Supreme morphs a fertilized egg into a ping-pong ball. But every ball is in Chalamet’s corner.

This might be one of the actor’s strongest performances to date, boasting a pencil mustache, glasses, and motormouth swagger impressive enough to land him an Olympic medal in bullshitting. To Marty, all his self-mythology is real and justifies whatever story he tells to the next person he comes across, fueling his aspirations even further. Your enjoyment of this performance will vary on whether the idea of an ambitious-yet-obnoxious young man who think he’s owed deference by society feels done to death, but one can’t deny the magnetism Chalamet brings to this role.

Perhaps Marty stands out because he’s the opposite of the roles Chalamet usually plays: loud, self-absorbed, braggadocios, and rarely vulnerable. It’s not a sympathetic character, but he’s unquestionably driven, if not bordering on self-destructive, as if the goal will make all those morally questionable choices worth it. Given Chalamet’s acknowledged desire to be recognized as an all-time great actor, it’s not wrong to suggest this performance comes from something quite real.