To call A24’s latest masterpiece Tony (🌟🌟🌟🌟) an Anthony Bourdain “biopic” feels borderline dishonest, because that’s not how this film operates. Rather than following in the footsteps of so many other traditional biopics that attempt to squeeze the entirety of an extraordinary life into the confines of a two hour highlight reel, Tony zooms in on a single chapter. In so doing, we see a snapshot of Bourdain from a time before he became larger than life, back when he was a cocky obnoxious youngster who felt he was owed the attention of the world. That is to say, Tony makes its protagonist relatable & within reach, telling a coming-of-age story that any uncertain young person trying to find a place in the world can instantly identify with. Without question, I found Tony to be an exceptional film.
The story here is follows a young Tony as he spends a college summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts under the guise of writing a novel for a fellowship that his school has already rejected him from. Forever flying by the seat of his pants, Tony finds himself as a bus boy in a local beach side dive restaurant - the kind that always has a shard of broken glass on the floor and a constant barrage of kitchen staff yelling at each other over the sound of sizzling pans. During his time there, Tony chases the affections of a girl from school, learns from the mentorship of the restaurant owner, and experiences the camaraderie of the fraternity-like relationships between the employees. It’s worth mentioning that it’s uncertain if any of the story is real or accurate, but to quote director Matt Johnson, the focus here was making a film that was more metaphorically true rather than factually true. It’s a creative decision the pays off in spades.
This is a film that is propped up expertly by the supporting cast. Leo Woodall continues his absolutely stellar year; hot off of his fantastic leading role in Tuner, here he plays a line cook who works equally as a driving and corrupting force in Tony’s life. He elevates the darker and grittier sections of the film and further cements himself as a movie star in the making. Your job is to remember Leo Woodall’s name. We also have a movie-stealing performance from Antonio Banderas (Málaga, stand up 🇪🇸!) as the mentor owner of the restaurant who is best equipped to knock Tony off his high horse, whether it be through a daily bucket of water to the face or a quiet reminiscing of the fading traditions of beachside fisherman. Also, shoutout to Stavros Halkias as well - every single line of his lands with a huge laugh, he finds the perfect way to slot himself into this movie & lines the serious parts of this film with well-timed comic relief.
But of course, this film belongs to one man only: Dominic Sessa. After going toe to toe with Paul Giamatti in 2023’s The Holdovers, Sessa dispels any notion of being a one hit wonder. His work here as Tony is the perfect blend of earnestness and annoyance, creating a character who your brain wants to hate but your heart can’t help but root for. He excels at bringing this specific version of Bourdain to life, the version that doesn’t have anything figured out but fears what a moment of hesitation could stall his path to greatness. It is his performance that sells the film’s great experiment: showing how a hothead got knocked back down to earth for just long enough so he could one day shoot into the stratosphere. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life watching Dominic Sessa make great films.
Hats off to every last individual involved in this film. Tony is well-worth your time.