The movie "Tony" by Matt Johnson, a 106-minute biographical drama with Dominika Sessa and Antonio Banderas, entered American cinemas in August 2026. This is simply a successful, warm communicative of the summer, during which 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain discovers the cuisine, discipline and responsibility, although the viewer only knows the beginning of his path.
Bourdain before fame
"Tony" does not effort to close Anthony Bourdain's full life in 2 hours. Matt Johnson chooses 1 vacation episode from the mid-1970s. A nineteen-year-old hero arrives in Provincetown, Massachusetts and goes to the chaotic restaurant kitchen. There he begins to realize that eating work can be more than a way to pay for the summer.
Official description A24 presents the movie just as the past of the summer, which has determined the further direction of Bourdain's life. That's a good promise. Johnson is curious in the beginning of the vocation before future books, tv and global recognition. Thus, the image does not match an illustrated biography from birth to death. It has its own rhythm and clear theme.
That's the subject of work puberty. Tony at first can be cocky, self-centered, and obnoxious. The movie doesn't smooth it out for the memorial. It allows him to make mistakes, look at more efficient people and gradually discover that talent without craftsmanship means little. It's more honest than producing another flawless idol of mass culture.
Dominic Sassa plays a hard man to like
Dominic Sessa does not imitate later Bourdain with a set of recognizable gestures. It builds the character of a young man who is just looking for his own language. He is irritating and shaky in this role, but he retains adequate curiosity for the viewer to follow his transformation. It's a good acting decision. Sympathy is not given on a platter.
Sessa's strongest partner is Antonio Banderas as a mastered cook and mentor. He's playing sparingly. His hero does not give lectures on passion, but shows the standard of work, requires punctuality and sets limits. In a planet of cinema, which frequently confuses freedom with deficiency of commitment, specified a commendation of the championship passed by a demanding teacher sounds fresh.
Leo Woodall brings the energy of a kitchen camaraderie into the film, and Emilia Jones gives a individual dimension to Tony's vacation choices. no of these accounts, however, send a restaurant. The kitchen remains the main test space. It's loud, tight and physical. Here all mistake has an effect on another people.
Making up the fact about the hero
‘Tony’ is not a document. The creators combine characters, decision events and tell stories based on mediocre memories from Bourdain's youth. The authors of the movie openly talked about the feature-making of this periodAnd the character played by Banderas does not correspond to 1 peculiar individual in the life of a cook.
This freedom has a price. At times, the construction becomes besides proper, as if all kitchen episode had to announce the future author of "Kitchen Confidential". The movie can besides be besides mild to the dirtier side of the restaurant world. However, he does not lose his emotional credibility due to the fact that he does not pretend that 1 summertime created a ready-made man. It shows the first direction.
The image ends erstwhile the Bourdain road actually opens. For any viewers, it's not enough. The celebrated traveler and author remains out of frame, and the movie does not take full account of his career. But limiting the scale works in favour of stories. alternatively of a catalogue of successes, we get 1 phase of puberty.
Review of the movie “Tony”: verdict
The movie takes 106 minutes and does not waste that time on school's dates checkout. On September 6, 2026, he had 93 percent affirmative reviews of critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with 222 reviews included. specified a advanced score is no coincidence. Johnson made an approachable movie about work, mistakes and the request for a good guide.
“Tony” does not explain the full phenomenon of Anthony Bourdain. However, it gives a reliable image of the minute erstwhile youthful beyond collides with the requirements of the profession. It's a warm, well played movie and rough adequate not to become a laurel. Strong 7 out of 10.
Source: A24, Rotten Tomatoes, Vanity Fair
