Tony Review: Anthony Bourdain Origin Story Is Charming, Funny, and Resonant

Hot off his critically acclaimed and cult classic comedy Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, Canadian raconteur Matt Johnson is back telling the story of an equally iconoclastic figure, Anthony Bourdain. Tony captures much of the same humor and energy of Johnson’s previous true story film, BlackBerry, albeit with an added pinch of heart that serves Bourdain’s story quite well.

What is Tony about?

Inspired by stories from Bourdain’s memoir, Kitchen Confidential, Tony is set in the summer of 1975, when Bourdain took a job at a restaurant in Provincetown, where he fostered his love for the kitchen. The movie shares more in common with something like Steve Jobs than it does a typical biopic, where it dials in on a very specific part of their life rather than recapping their story from birth to death, and the result feels much more revealing.

Tony Review

Tony is an incredibly warm film, feeling like you’re getting to hang out with an old friend for an hour and 45 minutes. Especially if you have a nostalgia for the work of Bourdain, you’re likely to find that this movie hits the right balance between sentimentality, humor, and probing to deliver a portrait of his early years that feels respectful of his legacy but not fluffy or pandering.

What makes Tony work so resonant is that it is an ode to creativity and finding oneself. Of course, everyone who doesn’t live under a rock knows where Bourdain’s story ends up, but the message of finding your dream in a different way is quite inspiring. There are plenty of movies about relentlessly pursuing greatness, but there aren’t enough about finding a different way to be your best self than you originally imagined.

But at the same time, Tony is just an adorable and enjoyable romantic comedy. It is surprising how well the film manages to incorporate its romantic B-plot into the story without it feeling ‌ancillary or merely a function of the plot. Although there are a few points, especially in the first half, when the character gets a bit “Manic Pixie Dream Girl,” it’s easy to get invested in the relationship and what it reveals about Bourdain as a character. And of course, for those wanting to see the kitchen-centric action, there’s plenty of that, and these scenes benefit most from the kinetic editing style of Johnson and his collaborators.

That being said, there are some story beats in the movie that feel underdeveloped, feeling somewhat shoehorned-in. For example, Bourdain’s early encounters with hard drugs are shown in the conflict’s background, and the screenplay can’t really figure out what it wants to do with these elements. It’s not a party movie, but it’s also not a meaningful exploration of substance abuse by any means. It feels strangely as if it’s only there to set up something that happens later in his life, which is a slightly odd approach to take.

Still, there are a lot of things that Tony does right by Bourdain, the chief of which is Dominic Sessa’s performance in the lead role. It doesn’t feel like the Holdovers breakout is merely imitating the iconic celebrity chef; it’s as if he’s trying to understand the person behind his public persona. Sessa perfectly captures the balance between standoffishness and charm, embodying the “bad boy” image that Bourdain presented, but with a vulnerability that makes this portrait compelling.

Tony also has a stacked supporting cast filled with familiar faces. The biggest name is Antonio Banderas, who plays Bourdain’s mentor — a seasoned chef who sees great potential in Bourdain. Although the relationship between Banderas’s character and Bourdain is very conventional, it is the type of role that offers a meal to whatever actor plays it, and Banderas delivers some of his best work in years here. Other highlights include Emilia Jones (CODA), who is charming as Bourdain’s love interest, and comedian Stavros Halkias, who makes for funny comedic relief as one of Bourdain’s fellow kitchen workers.

However, the biggest surprise in the cast is Leo Woodall (Tuner, The White Lotus), who is surprisingly magnetic in his role as the live-wire line cook who takes young Bourdain under his wing. Woodall gives a funny, unpredictable, and unexpectedly emotional turn, stealing the scene pretty much every time he is on screen. He has shown a lot of potential in his past work, but this performance really cements him as star material.

Is Tony worth watching?

Whether you are a fan of Anthony Bourdain, someone who loves chef-centric media like The Bear, or are just looking for a funny, inspiring story, Tony offers something for everyone. It is much more interesting than your average biography, and a lot of that is thanks to the touch of the brilliant Matt Johnson.

Tony opens in theaters on August 7.

Tony Review: Anthony Bourdain Origin Story Is Charming, Funny, and Resonant