The new biopic "Tony" explores a pivotal summer in 1975 when a young Anthony Bourdain worked in a Cape Cod restaurant kitchen, attempting to trace the early stages of his journey toward becoming a global culinary figure. However, the film has been described as an "early nibble" that leaves viewers "still hungry" for a deeper understanding of the man who would later become known for his travel shows like "Parts Unknown."
Directed by Matt Johnson, who also co-wrote the screenplay, "Tony" focuses on Bourdain's formative experiences as a dishwasher who ascends to preparing food in a high-pressure restaurant environment. The film opens with a quote from Bourdain's memoir, "Kitchen Confidential," describing himself as "a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good ass-kicking." The movie attempts to depict how he navigated this period, which involved intense kitchen dynamics and his first encounters with hard drugs.
Dominic Sessa portrays a teenage Bourdain as an "angular misfit," often hunched and seemingly detached, rarely showing moments of joy even in relation to food or romance. The film touches upon Bourdain's dual fascinations during that summer: the demanding yet intoxicating world of the kitchen and his initial experiences with heroin, a fact he later acknowledged in "Parts Unknown." However, the review suggests the film does not fully illustrate the transition of this aspiring writer into the renowned global storyteller.
"Tony" also introduces a new culinary mentor figure, played by Antonio Banderas, who is depicted as spiritual and punctual amidst a reportedly misogynistic, racist, and drug-addled kitchen staff. The film includes dramatic elements such as a Hollywood-style kitchen fire and references to historical culinary figures, which some critics argue detract from the core narrative. The review posits that Bourdain's muse and his eventual passion for cuisine as a means of connection and celebration are not fully realized on screen.
Despite these criticisms, "Tony" features some praised moments, including interactions involving oysters, a cameo by chef Eric Ripert, and performances by Emilia Jones as Bourdain's love interest and Leo Woodall as his kitchen and drug companion. The film's approach of focusing on a specific period in a cultural icon's life, rather than a full biography, is noted as a contemporary filmmaking trend.
The movie, rated R for language, drug use, and sexual content, runs 106 minutes. It debuted in select theaters on August 7 and expanded its release on August 21. The review awarded "Tony" two out of four stars, concluding that as an origin story, "the cook is off."