TONY Review

In 1975, 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain (Dominic Sessa) arrives in Provincetown with dreams of becoming a writer but little idea of where his life is actually headed. After stumbling into the chaotic world of a local restaurant kitchen, Tony finds himself surrounded by a group of eccentric coworkers who introduce him to an entirely different way of living. As the summer unfolds, he forms new friendships, falls in love, and develops an unexpected passion for food that will ultimately shape the rest of his life.

Tony really works on multiple levels, and surprisingly, it doesn't really feel like a biopic. If this were a completely fictional story about a 19-year-old spending an important summer in Provincetown, I think it would work just as well. They don't even say Anthony Bourdain's full name until the final line of the film, which perfectly captures how little interest Matt Johnson has in spoon-feeding the audience the significance of the person we're watching. Dominic Sessa isn't doing an impersonation of Bourdain in any way; instead, he captures the essence of who Bourdain was without ever forcing it. The film is ultimately just about a really important summer in a young man's life, and that young man just so happens to be Anthony Bourdain. There are elements of it that feel like a Richard Linklater hangout movie, where the pleasure comes from simply spending time with these characters and watching them figure themselves out.

This film didn't feel exactly like what we've come to expect from Matt Johnson, and it definitely felt like his most studio-friendly film to date. In interviews, he has mentioned his initial trepidation about the project and how he wasn't particularly well versed in the world of Anthony Bourdain. Meeting Dominic Sessa was ultimately what made him want to go forth with it. This period of Bourdain's life is much less documented because he wasn't yet the famous celebrity chef we would eventually see on our televisions, and there is a certain flexibility that comes with that as a storyteller. The film is definitely a bit formulaic and cozy, but I think it works because Johnson isn't trying to bite off more than he can chew.

Sessa isn't really playing Anthony Bourdain so much as he's playing a young man who hasn't become Anthony Bourdain yet. Dominic Sessa works really well in this role for that exact reason. He is sort of awkward and regular-feeling as far as movie stars are concerned, and he does a great job playing a very lost and immature young man. The film at times rides that maturity line very thin, which feels like a natural offset of a movie with this many young and rambunctious characters. It definitely feels like it lacks the sort of gritty toughness we associate with Bourdain, but maybe that's for the best, as this is a completely different chapter of his life. Regardless, Sessa does a great job of capturing exactly what the film wants us to feel: Tony, rather than Anthony Bourdain.

Dominic Sessa is really good, and a lot of the weight is on his shoulders, but this is an ensemble piece at the end of the day. Stavros Halkias is good, and he is continuing to earn his place in these sorts of films. Emilia Jones pops as the only real female presence in the group, while Antonio Banderas serves as the only sort of mature character among them. Leo Woodall is a big standout here for me, and I continue to be very impressed by him. He captures the New England local perfectly, and his performance genuinely feels the most lived-in of the bunch. Matt Johnson seems to be a director that actors want to work with, and that chemistry between the cast really comes through here.

There is something really refreshing about how little Tony feels the need to announce itself as an important movie about an important person. The film doesn't constantly remind you that you're watching a future celebrity, and that is refreshing. It is a true crowd-pleaser, and leaves a really good taste in your mouth, rather than some other works that have gotten uncomfortably close to the end of his life. At the end of the day, Tony feels like a regular guy, but the film is about a summer in his life, and it doesn't feel like a regular summer. The film could definitely be more exciting if it broke the formula a bit more, but as far as crowd-pleasing biopics go, I do think this is about as good as it's going to get.

Tony is probably too safe, but I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing. Matt Johnson knows exactly what kind of movie he is making, and he executes it very well. This isn't a definitive portrait of Anthony Bourdain, nor is it trying to be. It's a film about Tony, a lost 19-year-old who happens to stumble into a kitchen and discover a passion for food that will eventually define his life. Maybe it could have been stranger, grittier, or more ambitious, but I don't think it needs to be. Tony knows what it is, and it's very good at being exactly that.

🍿 SCORE = 80 / 100