A24’s forthcoming biopic Tony offers a gut-punching look at Anthony Bourdain’s early years, with Dominic Sessa transforming from his breakthrough role in The Holdovers to a teenage Bourdain. The film showcases a slice of Bourdain’s colourful life, starting at liberal arts college Vassar in New York, before stumbling into the chaotic culinary world by way of a Provincetown dishwasher for a summer that changes the course of his life forever.
A Coming-of-Age Drama
Forget the CNN, silver-haired, slurping bún chả and cold beer with Barack Obama in Vietnam version of Bourdain for this one. He didn’t exist yet. Instead, Tony is a striking summertime coming-of-age comedy-drama showcasing Bourdain’s serious soul searching; masquerading as a writer while learning to cook under the tutelage of his head chef, played by Antonio Banderas. The bond between the two is phenomenal – Banderas’ performance is tender, powerful, and an unexpected standout in the film.
Despite not being alive during the height of his success, 23-year-old Sessa’s portrayal of a lying, gritty, almost unlikeable teenage Bourdain discovering his purpose in life ticks all the boxes. By his own admission, Bourdain was ‘a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive, and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good a**-kicking’, a quote which suitably opens the film and perfectly describes Sessa’s approach to this role. It feels like it was his mantra.
Standout Performances
As well as an obvious striking resemblance to Bourdain, Sessa embodies several of his characteristics; from his lanky physical stance and hunched shoulders, to his unabashed, sultry bravado. He flits flawlessly between a frustrated teenager punching holes in the wall of an Enter the Dragon poster in his bedroom and snorting cocaine on the clock, to attentively learning how to shuck his first oyster, recalling the life-changing moment he discovered his obsession with food as a child in France.
Tony’s intense romance with Nancy (Emilia Jones) paired with breathtaking balmy, seaside town cinematography by Michael Bauman charmingly captures a tender heart beneath such a tough exterior. Leo Woodall’s execution of foul-mouthed scumbag restaurant worker Sal is remarkable. He escapes from his pigeonhole romcom king status, given to him after playing Bridget Jones’ love interest Roxster McDuff, once and for all in Tony. So much so that Woodall isn’t just responsible for injecting the humour into the film (alongside an absurdly funny Stavros Halkias) but he takes on one of Kitchen Confidential’s most scandalous moments when he engages in an explicit alleyway rendezvous with a newlywed bride.
A Sensitive Conclusion
Matt Johnson strikes perfection in a Hollywood copy-and-paste biopic era. His unpretentious approach to beautifully showcase human flaws makes him the best person to take on a character as complex as Bourdain. There’s always been a protective shield around Bourdain, an understandably intimate attachment between him and his fans which has extended beyond death. And for a good reason; he left an indelible mark on the world.
Tony puts the naysayers at ease with a sensitive and gritty approach to Anthony Bourdain’s earlier years. Dominic Sessa, Antonio Banderas, and Leo Woodall put on stellar performances in this coming-of-age drama. But any hesitations about Tony completely disappeared by the final scene: a cameo from his closest friend, French chef Eric Ripert – the last person to see Bourdain alive. It’s a moving conclusion that feels like both a punch in the gut and a sigh of relief. Tony releases in UK and Ireland cinemas August 14, 2026.
