★★★★★
From director Matt Johnson, of Nirvanna the Band the Show, comes Tony, a docudrama that captures the life of a young Anthony Bourdain over the course of the summer following his freshman year of college—the summer that would change the entire trajectory of his life.
While this is based on the story of a young Anthony “Tony” Bourdain, one of the world’s most famous chefs and a culinary pioneer, I’m personally not familiar with him or the legacy he built. Yet, from my understanding, the story is fictionalized in many parts and is not a recreation or retelling of his actual summer in Provincetown. That will greatly determine how the film sits with many viewers, depending on their prior knowledge.
Written by Todd Bartels, Lou Howe, Matt Johnson, and Matthew Miller, the script is exceptional. The four manage to craft a story-driven narrative while simultaneously creating remarkable character development that is complex, deep, and showcases genuine, grounded growth without hindering the story or pacing of the film.The script takes that idea from his autobiography and builds the entire film around that concept.
“The script is exceptional.”
Bourdain famously described his younger self—the one this movie is inspired by—as “a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good ass-kicking.”
The script not only showcases that, but takes that idea from his autobiography and builds the entire film around that concept. It does so flawlessly.
I think a problem many may have with the film is that when you have someone so beloved and inspirational, showing them as someone with a troubled past—or frankly, someone with less desirable morals—can be viewed as disrespectful or dishonoring their memory.
The film doesn’t pull any punches when portraying him as a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive, and thoughtless young lout. He’s presented as a compulsive liar willing to cheat, steal, and manipulate situations to get what he wants, yet never as unlovable.
The brilliance of the script is that it crafts not only Tony, but all of the characters, in such a lovable light. Through witty banter, fun bonding moments, and workplace shenanigans, even the more grotesque moments become memorable through uncanny dialogue that somehow works.
There’s even a moment in the film where, during the boys’ back-and-forth banter, they make a joke about one character’s moral ethics that ultimately serves as an underlying pivotal character moment.
Johnson, who also directed the film, orchestrates the scene perfectly, allowing us to see a likable character portrayed as one of Tony’s close friends.
A spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive, and thoughtless young lout—very similar to Tony in many ways. Someone Tony clearly admired and looked up to.
Offering a parallel character in terms of actions, morals, and ethics—essentially the person Tony was on the path to becoming.
“Like life, the moments define character through intentions, motivations, and morals.”
Johnson captures many pivotal moments gracefully, making them so unobtrusive that they’re never shoved in your face or forced down your throat. They’re moments you need to listen for, see, and engage with. Like life, the moments define character through intentions, motivations, and morals.
The script provides Johnson with the tools needed to carry out this remarkable story in such a way that it might not be perfectly accurate, but is perfectly crafted.
I would be astonished if I found out the story was historically accurate. The flow, insight, and character arcs are too neatly woven together. Too many key moments fit together pitch-perfectly.
However, the film does capture the tone accurately. His quote alone states what kind of kid he was at that time and what he needed. The supporting characters may be fictionalized, but they represent his state of mind and place in life.
Chief is the kick in the ass he desperately needed. He teaches him discipline, among other life lessons.
Sal embodies the parts of himself that Bourdain vividly described—a version of himself he could have easily become. Their paths and decisions place both characters in the same orbit. It’s a few minor moments that shift that trajectory and help shape the person Tony ultimately becomes.
The film does a stellar job of telling the story of the person he was and the person he became by showing us firsthand how close he was to becoming someone else entirely.
“Johnson’s direction is flawless.”
From the opening scene, he has a clear vision, and it shows. The pacing is impeccable. The score, cinematography, and editing are effortlessly connected and complement each other.
Michael Bauman’s cinematography is intentional, crisp, and beautifully framed. He keeps the vast majority of shots tight, relying heavily on over-the-shoulder POV shots and medium shots while using wide shots sparingly, making them more impactful when they do appear.
“The pacing is impeccable. The score, cinematography, and editing are effortlessly connected and complement each other.”
It’s an intentional technique that works fabulously. From shots of Tony on the boat heading to Cape Cod to an astonishing morning view following the party scene, Bauman creates memorable imagery throughout.
One particularly striking moment is a wide shot of Tony standing in the sand outside Chief’s house, with the ocean stretching behind him. It offers a sense of enlightenment—a future that suddenly looks bright. A moment of clarity and joy amidst the chaos and intensity of restaurant life.
Later, during one of Tony’s downward spirals, Bauman uses dimmer lighting and muted tones to create a gray backdrop with limited visibility. The shots are crisp and incredibly tight, capturing not only the tone of the moment but also the emotional weight of isolation.
Paired beautifully with a score by Jay McCarrol, the film embraces a less-is-more approach. The score arrives gently and quietly, never demanding attention. There’s a clear sense of restraint, allowing silence to emphasize the score’s impact when it does emerge rather than letting it fade into background noise.
All of the performances are astonishing, particularly Antonio Banderas, Leo Woodall, Emilia Jones, and Dominic Sessa.
Dominic Sessa once again delivers an outstanding performance, proving The Holdovers wasn’t a one-off. His performance demonstrates tremendous range and depth. He embodies Tony so naturally that he brings the character to life with such charisma that you believe every lie he tells.
Emilia Jones has the least screen time among the principal cast, but she lights up every scene she’s in. Leo Woodall balances the character’s charm perfectly with a morally corrupt aura, fully embodying the influential bad-boy persona.
Tony may not be historically accurate or depict events exactly as they happened. However, it crafts a story that perfectly captures the type of person Tony referred to himself as in Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.
Matt Johnson uses creative freedom to make a film that captures a young man who was, in Bourdain’s own words, “a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good ass-kicking.” He builds a character arc that allows Tony to cinematically and wholeheartedly grow into someone ready to begin the journey that would eventually put him on the path to greatness.
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