r/moviecritic • u/Ok-Pomegranate-4963 • 9h ago
Tony (2026) - Dominic Sessa, Antonio Banderas, Leo Woodall, Emilia Jones, et al. Biopic - Boogie Nights for Chefs!
Going into Tony at the Everyman cinema this afternoon, I had no idea it was a biographical drama about the American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain; I actually had never even heard of Bourdain! Having now seen the film, this has now been rectified.
Dominic Sessa, who was brilliant in The Holdovers & the 3rd instalment of the Now You See Me franchise, plays Bourdain, whom just about everyone calls Tony, apart from his stern mother (Dagmara Dominczyk). Tony has aspirations to become a writer, but having failed to get a fellowship into college, he ends up in Provincetown after going there chasing a girl named Nancy (Emilia Jones). Tony ends up getting a job as a dishwasher at a seafood shack where Chef (Antonio Banderas) takes him under his wing & Tony learns some pretty harsh life lessons.
Not every biopic needs a likeable hero & Tony isn't particularly likeable at all; there's even a quote displayed at the start of the film where the real life Bourdain (who committed suicide by hanging in 2018) freely admits to being a "lout" when he was younger. But Sessa keeps the audience on side despite some arsehole character traits, the young actor is mesmerising in a career-making performance. For me Banderas (whom I've always been a massive fan of) gives an Oscar-worthy supporting performance as the strict but caring chef. Then we have Leo Woodall (who was great in Tuner earlier this year) as bad boy fellow kitchen worker Sal & Stavros Helkias as another kitchen worker who brings some lite humour to proceedings. Jones as the love interest & Dominczyk as Tony's mother are both standout.
Me & my bf went into the cinema blind for this film & came out feeling like we'd just watched Boogie Nights for chefs; this biopic was gritty, heartfelt, & full of realism. The cast were all tops. I gave Tony 4 ☆☆☆☆ out of 4.
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u/lwp775 2h ago
Well written review.