Tony (2026)
Directed by: Matt Johnson
Premise: Based on true events. In the summer of 1975, nineteen-year-old Anthony Bourdain (Dominic Sessa) travels to Provincetown, Massachusetts and takes a restaurant job out of financial desperation. He finds his calling in the kitchen.
What Works: Anthony Bourdain worked in professional kitchens for decades before turning to writing and later becoming a media figure known for exploring people and cultures through their cuisine. Tony is a coming-of-age story. Rather than a typical Hollywood success narrative, the filmmakers focus on a summer Bourdain spent in Provincetown when he was nineteen years old. At this time Bourdain was fixated on becoming a writer and, as portrayed here, he was arrogant and impetuous. This is not a hagiography. The filmmakers and actor Dominic Sessa allow Bourdain to be an unpleasant character who gradually matures over the course of the movie. He is initially hired as a dishwasher but works his way up to cooking and Bourdain discovers his passion. The film does something smart and self-aware. Bourdain is introduced pitching an idea for a coming-of-age novel but he clearly doesn’t know what the book is about. He can’t write it because he doesn’t really know anything about life or about himself. The story of the film is the story he’s trying to write, which Bourdain eventually did decades later. The filmmakers avoid some of the pitfalls of biographical filmmaking. Tony has a gritty reality to it and the filmmakers do not overdo the drama; this is closer to 8 Mile than it is to Bohemian Rhapsody. The decisive moments of Tony are underplayed. The filmmakers realize the impact of quiet moments and communicate Bourdain’s maturation with restraint. The performances of Tony are exceptional, namely Dominic Sessa as Bourdain but also Antonio Banderas as the restaurant owner who takes Bourdain under his wing.
What Doesn’t: The female characters of Tony are not allowed much depth. Anthony Bourdain ends up in Provincetown on a romantic whim, pursing a woman he doesn’t really know. The filmmakers don’t make much effort to get to know her either nor do they take interest in the female staff member at the restaurant. Unlike the male members of the kitchen staff, she gets almost no characterization or memorable moments. To some degree, this makes sense. The story unfolds from the point of view of a nineteen-year-old guy who sees women through a narrow lens. He’s far too self-absorbed to see other people’s complexity and the picture reflects that. But the underwriting of the female characters is noticeable in relief against the supporting male cast.
Bottom Line: Tony is an exceptional biopic. It will play for viewers who have no knowledge of or interest in Anthony Bourdain because it tells a good, self-contained story. The performances are excellent and it’s made with skill and intelligence.
Episode: #1112 (August 16, 2026)