Coppola in '74... Spielberg in '93... Soderbergh in 2000... Matt Johnson in 2026? It isn't often you see a filmmaker put out two films in one calendar year, it's even rarer for both of said films to be at the top of said filmmaker's game. Matt Johnson previously wowed audiences (and especially me) this year with Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, and now his Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony is in theatres.
The film follows Bourdain (Dominic Sessa), known by his friends and family as Tony, over the course of one summer in Provincetown Massachusetts. Johnson has described the film as essentially an amalgamation of different early stories from Bourdain's memoir Kitchen Confidential, all meshed together into the summer of '75. Rather than the Bourdain we know today, this young version of him is an arrogant and narcissitic aspiring writer whose ego and flaws ultimate put him on the path to where he eventually ended up.
After losing out on a fellowship grant from his school, Tony follows a girl he has long harboured a crush on out to Provincetown. Rather than tell her the truth he claims that he did get the fellowship and it brought him out there, but upon seeing her with another man he gets drunk and finds himself on a man's hammock with all his money stolen. The man (played by Antonio Banderas) turns out to be the chef of the very restaurant he got hammered in, and he is given a job as a dishwasher. He is quickly thrown into the chaotic world of the kitchen over a summer that would change the course of his life forever.
What shocked me most about Tony is how different it is from Johnson's previous biopic Blackberry. Blackberry is a high energy story with constant drama, and a tinge of corporate tension, meanwhile Tony almost feels like a hangout movie at times. That's not to say there isn't drama, Tony himself causes a fair deal of it through his constant web of lies, but this isn't the kind of frenetic energy we've seen from Johnson in the past, and it really works in the context of this story. It allows the film to not just tell an early story of Anthony Bourdain, but also to give audiences an all around fun time at the movies.
Sessa's portrayal of Tony is a big reason the film works so well. He brings a punk abbrassiveness that initially has you skeptical towards him, but as he gets knocked on his ass Sessa allows enough of Tony's insecurity to shine through that you're able to connect with him. It's frustrating to watch him arrogantly lie his way through situations, but rather than hating him you're often rooting for him to figure himself out and that's largely thanks to the charismatic pull of Sessa.
The cast surrounding Sessa is also fantastic. Banderas brings a real sense of maturity to the film, offering Tony a firm but warm mentor figure that it doesn't seem like he has had yet at this point in his life. Leo Woodall plays Sal, a charistmatic but deeply flawed employee at the restaurant. He disappears for a bit which limits just how much of an impact he's able to leave, but he brings a bad boy swagger that Tony clearly admires. He operates as both an inspiration and a warning to Tony, a dynamic that I found pretty fascinating and one that Woodall nails. Emilia Jones plays Nancy, the love interest that brings Tony out to Provincetown. While her character doesn't have as much depth as you may like, Jones has a presence to her that makes Nancy someone whose effect on Tony is palpable and honestly pretty relatable. Other highlights include Monica Raymund as the restaurant's bartender, and comedian Stavros Halkias as another hilarious worker in the kitchen. As far as I know these are all fictionalized characters based on people from Bourdain's memoir, but they all come together to make what feels like an authentic and chaotic setting for Tony to find himself in.
Visually and sonically, Matt Johnson does a fantastic job putting us into 70s New England. There is a graininess to the film's aesthetic that really fits the tone he crafts, and the soundtrack is apparently filled with songs Bourdain loved which gives the film a nice personal touch alongside it's period setting. On top of feeling like it's from the 70s, Johnson delivers an immaculate summer vibe here. It certainly helps that the film's setting is a beach town, but the way he captures the sunsets and ensuing summer nights was a real highlight for me, not to mention the infectious energy of a beach town in the summer. Alongside the great soundtrack I have to shout out Jay McCarrol's score, one that acts as a strong aid in showing how Tony is feeling considering how much he hides the truth from those around him.
I was pretty certain I'd love this, but having as great a time with it as I did was still a pleasant surprise. On top of letting you know more about Anthony Bourdain, it really is just a perfect summer movie. It's a feel good crowd pleaser with a fun edge that I honestly can't see anyone not enjoying, and it's almost certain to make you want some seafood after. 4.5/5
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