It’s easy to understand why someone would want to make a movie about Anthony Bourdain. He lived an incredible, larger-than-life existence that seemed made for the big screen. As a celebrity chef, bestselling author, and world traveler, his life was packed with plenty of highs and lows that would easily fuel a sprawling biopic. That’s why it’s so interesting that Tony isn’t that kind of movie. Instead, director Matt Johnson zeroes in on a small, early chapter in Bourdain’s life, long before Kitchen Confidential, TV fame, or worldwide recognition. It’s a bold and clever angle, even if it leaves Tony feeling more like a tasty appetizer than a full meal.

Set during one formative summer, the movie follows 19-year-old Tony Bourdain (Dominic Sessa), who believes he’s destined to be a great writer, even though he hasn’t written much yet. After his plans at college don’t go as planned, he hits the road for Provincetown, Massachusetts. There, he reconnects with his old schoolmate Nancy (Emilia Jones) and stumbles into a job at a local seafood restaurant. At first, Tony sees it as just a job. But once he actually steps into the kitchen, everything changes. He discovers a wild world full of colorful characters, filthy jokes, late nights, and coworkers who work and play hard. For a restless young guy looking for somewhere to belong, it’s practically irresistible.

It’s in this environment, and in the scenes that unfold there, that Tony truly comes alive, and where the movie is at its best. Johnson brings a loose, natural feel to the kitchen scenes, with just enough messiness that makes it feel like we’re genuinely hanging out with the line cooks, not just watching actors play out scenes on a movie set. The clattering of heavy pots, the shouting back and forth across the kitchen, and the ever-present cigarette smoke make the kitchen feel real, full of people who were there long before Tony walked in and who’ll still be there long after he leaves.

Sessa is a great choice for the role. He avoids the trap of doing a Bourdain impression, and the movie is better for it. There are flashes of the man audiences know: the dry sarcasm, the curiosity, and the swagger. But here, Sessa is playing a version of Tony who hasn’t fully become himself yet. He’s cocky, selfish, impulsive, and a bit full of himself. But Sessa makes these traits entertaining and even likable, so Tony never feels like someone the movie has to apologize for. He also adds just enough vulnerability to make Tony’s growth believable.

Still, it’s Antonio Banderas who nearly steals the show. As the veteran chef who becomes Tony’s reluctant mentor, Banderas brings the right mix of grizzled warmth and world-weariness to the role. He completely sidesteps the tired cliché of the wise old mentor who dispenses pithy life lessons when the hero messes up. His relationship with Sessa and their quiet, grounded bond give the movie its emotional backbone.

Unfortunately, Johnson’s narrow focus is both the movie’s biggest strength and its main weakness. By sticking to this one chapter, Tony avoids the usual biopic clichés. But it also means the movie ends just as Bourdain’s most interesting chapter of life is about to begin, so the movie feels a little thin. Sometimes, the movie seems ready to explore the contradictions that shaped Bourdain: his intelligence and recklessness, confidence and insecurity, his drive for new experiences and his struggles. But it only touches the surface, which feels a bit unsatisfying. As a fun coming-of-age story about a young man finding his passion, Tony works well. But as a movie about Anthony Bourdain, it leaves you wanting more.

That kind of restraint is admirable, especially after so many cradle-to-grave biopics about other famous figures. Tony offers a glimpse of Anthony Bourdain before he became famous, and for most of the movie, that glimpse is pretty satisfying. But when you make a movie about a man who built a whole career encouraging people to eat big, drink deep, and live boldly, it’s understandable if viewers leave the theater still feeling a little hungry

Tony is currently playing in select theaters and is available to rent on VOD.

REVIEW: “Tony”

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