Boxing Day cinema releases have long been part of the Christmas tradition, and this year is no exception with the release of Timothée Chalamet’s latest offering, Marty Supreme.

The film centres on an arrogant, entitled protagonist who will let nothing stand in his way as he strives for greatness. Off screen, Chalamet struck a similarly confident note in an interview, describing the role as yet another “top of the line” performance, a comment that soon went viral.

The reaction was telling. Less attention was paid to the film itself than to the perceived audacity of the remark. Overconfident. Cocky. Where, people asked, was the humility?

It is not hard to see why it grated. Public figures are expected to let praise arrive from elsewhere, not to claim it themselves. Self-assessment, particularly when it is positive, is widely treated as a breach of an unspoken rule.

‘There was a fantasy ending........

© The Irish News