Well Done

If you’ve ever wondered what Anthony Bourdain was like before he became, well, Anthony Bourdain, then Tony is the movie for you. 

Long before CNN and his globe-trotting culinary fame, Bourdain was simply Tony, “a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive, and thoughtless young lout” who was “badly in need of a good ass-kicking.” Don’t take my word for it; that’s literally how Bourdain describes himself in his 2000 book Kitchen Confidential. 

In other words, this new film co-written and directed by Matt Johnson (BlackBerry) could almost be called “Portrait of the Chef as a Young Prick,” if A24 really wanted to take a risk.

Tony zooms in on the transformative summer, 25 years before Kitchen Confidential was published, when Bourdain (Dominic Sessa), then an arrogant, directionless Vassar student, followed a girl (Emilia Jones, CODA) to Provincetown, Mass., after failing to win a writing fellowship. Broke and homeless, he begrudgingly accepts a kitchen job at the Flagship, where the relentless grind of restaurant life begins to knock some of the smugness out of him, and he accidentally discovers the thing he’s actually meant to do.

(Among his coworkers is Sal, played charismatically by Tuner’s Leo Woodall in a too-brief supporting role.)

The movie doesn’t waste time pretending young Anthony Bourdain was a misunderstood genius. He wasn’t, and Tony embraces that uncomfortable truth instead of sanding off his edges. That’s what makes the character compelling. More importantly, watching Bourdain slowly earn a little humility over the course of a couple of months is far more satisfying than watching a cradle-to-grave biopic with the message that his greatness was inevitable. (If you want a broader look at Bourdain’s life, check out the excellent 2021 documentary, Roadrunner.) 

In the title role, Sessa confirms that The Holdovers wasn’t beginner’s luck. He has an uncanny ability to make arrogance feel strangely vulnerable, and Johnson’s intimate camerawork lets every flicker of insecurity register beneath Bourdain’s swagger. 

But the film’s emotional center belongs to Antonio Banderas. His Chef could have been the stock “wise mentor” character we’ve seen a hundred times before. Instead, Banderas imbues him with warmth, patience, and quiet authority, creating the kind of mentor every coming-of-age story wishes it had. Don’t be surprised if Banderas winds up in the awards conversation this fall. It will be well deserved.

Tony is a film for anyone who’s a fan of the “Forks” episode of The Bear. Sure, the Flagship is not a fine dining establishment, and Taylor Swift was a long way from being born in 1975. But Tony explores similar ideas about discipline, purpose, and the strange magic that happens when a chaotic person finally finds a craft worth caring about. Like The Bear, Tony understands that restaurants aren’t just places where food is made — they’re pressure cookers where identity gets reshaped. 

Ironically, though, Johnson and Bauman aren’t interested in glossy food porn. The camera rarely lingers on the meals like it does on The Bear or in movies like Jon Favreau’s Chef. Instead, it stays focused on the people making them, and that’s ultimately the better choice.

Also worth noting: Tony was filmed on location, and Provincetown becomes more than scenery; it feels like another character, grounding the story in a tangible sense of time and place. Michael Bauman’s cinematography often showcases Commercial Street, providing affectionate glances of the Lobster Pot, Spiritus Pizza, and other familiar sights. 

Sure, the film runs a few minutes longer than it needs to, but that’s a minor quibble. Like a good meal that’s just slightly overcooked, it’s still immensely satisfying. 

Every year, there’s one late-summer movie that sneaks into theaters without a ton of hype and quietly reminds everyone that August isn’t a cinematic dead zone. This year, that movie is Tony. It may not be the flashiest release of the year, but, come December, don’t be surprised if it earns a spot on plenty of Top 10 lists — including mine. 

Tony may not leave you hungry for food, but it will leave you thinking about purpose, ambition, and the messy process of becoming the person you’re meant to be. That’s something worth savoring.

I’m giving it a B+.

Tony releases in select theaters on August 7, followed by a nationwide expansion on August 21.