Editor’s Note: The following review contains brief descriptions of self-harm that some readers may find disturbing.Celebrity chefs usually fit into certain archetypes: they might be aggressive, over-the-top critics like Gordon Ramsay, or likable and approachable television hosts like Alton Brown. The great Anthony Bourdain was neither, and it’s exactly that mold-breaking sensibility that led him to be considered one of the greatest culinary minds of the century — and for good reason. Thanks to his best-selling exposé Kitchen Confidential, which dove into the grittier side of life in a professional kitchen and practically laid the groundwork for stories like The Bear, as well as his critically acclaimed documentary series Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which took a wholly authentic and unique approach to documentary filmmaking, cooking, and even comedy, Bourdain is one of the most beloved and immediately recognizable figures in the culinary space.

It’s because of that impressive legacy that the world stood still on June 8, 2018, when it was announced that Bourdain had died by suicide at the age of 61. But while Bourdain beamed directly into our homes regularly for nearly 20 years, becoming a cultural celebrity in the process, most fans know less about the first few decades of his life, before he was in the public eye. It’s no surprise that someone would try to tell this story with a starry cast, which is exactly what A24 intends to do with its newest film, Tony. Although the film’s retelling of a summer in Bourdain’s early life is mostly allegorical, it is still an authentic look into the man behind one of the greatest culinary legacies of the century.
What Is ‘Tony’ About?

Directed by BlackBerry and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie filmmaker Matt Johnson, Tony tells the story of 19-year-old Anthony “Tony” Bourdain (Dominic Sessa), a college student who wants to be a writer, but lacks the drive and determination to do much more than posture about it. He’s too busy with other pursuits, like pining after his childhood crush, Nancy (Emilia Jones) — with whom he becomes so infatuated that, after failing to land a summer writing fellowship, he follows her to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she has a summer job serving pizza. After impulsively traveling there, seeing that she has a boyfriend, and finding himself with no cash to get back home, Tony takes on a dishwashing job with a nameless local chef (Antonio Banderas). Though it’s initially about just getting some room and board until he can figure out how to get back home to New Jersey, the experience fundamentally changes the young Bourdain forever. Tony’s retelling of events during Bourdain’s famous time in Provincetown is largely allegorical, particularly with the characters of the chef and one of his employees, Sal (Leo Woodall), both of whom appear to be amalgamations of different people in Bourdain’s life, as opposed to literal interpretations of specific real-life characters written about in Kitchen Confidential. It’s not an uncommon approach to biopics, as seen with Tom Hanks’ character in Catch Me If You Can. In Tony’s case, the film does a more than competent job of using Bourdain as a satisfying catalyst for a compelling coming-of-age story that’s poignant, funny, and satisfying to watch from start to finish. Johnson’s background as a primarily comedic filmmaker certainly aids in this, and yet it never feels like he sacrifices the film’s more dramatic moments for laughs. Speaking of dramatic moments, Johnson makes the very wise decision to never mention Bourdain’s death directly, instead opting to have more subtle scenes where the topic of self-harm and even suicide are addressed. One place where Tony’s more allegorical biopic approach doesn’t work is with the character of Nancy, who’s likely heavily influenced by Bourdain’s first wife, Nancy Putkoski. Emilia Jones turns in a perfectly fine performance, but the character is severely underwritten and comes across as a very stereotypical love interest. This becomes especially problematic in the film’s third act, when Nancy makes more than a few choices that are questionable at best, baffling at worst, and seem to go against her own self-interests.

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‘Tony’s Gripping Performances Are Worth the Price of Admission

Antonio Banderas in new Tony TrailerImage via A24

Despite having a poorly realized love interest, Tony, as both a film and a character, has a lot to recommend. Dominic Sessa is perfect as a young Anthony Bourdain, precisely because he doesn’t fall into the incredibly common biopic trap of simply doing an impression of the person they are portraying. Instead, Sessa plays the role naturally and authentically, with a character that both feels similar to his star-making role in The Holdovers, yet is also perfectly fitting for someone as unique as Anthony Bourdain. Sessa is great, but some of the biggest stars of Tony are its supporting players, starting with Antonio Banderas’ mysterious chef. The movie has a lot of fun playing with the anonymity of the character, revealing intriguing new details about him throughout. Banderas plays the part to perfection, with one of his best performances in years (and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is pretty darn hard to beat). Also worth mentioning is Leo Woodall as Sal, a fellow chef who is somewhere between a genuine antagonist and a cheerful best friend to Tony. It’s a really incredible performance that can truly be counted among the best of Woodall’s career. One scene in particular really sells everything about Sal in a sequence that honestly feels like it could be in the Best Supporting Actor sizzle reel.
‘Tony’ Is a Love Letter to Cooking and Human Perseverance

Dominic Sessa and Emelia Jones in TonyImage via A24

If there’s one thing a good movie about food needs to have, it’s good food, and Tony has plenty of it, with long, lingering sequences that follow Bourdain taking the first steps in his culinary education, whether he’s learning to prep in the kitchen or accompanying Banderas on a chaotic expedition to catch fresh fish. It really does feel, at times, like an episode of No Reservations or Parts Unknown mixed with The Bear; the high-stakes tension and rough atmosphere of the kitchen work in tandem to create dishes that look just as interesting as the process they were made in. In a lot of ways, the movie itself is a lot like the kitchen that Tony primarily takes place in. It’s crass, it’s loud, it’s messy, and yet, you end up with something profound, beautiful, and exciting on your plate.

Tony opens in select theaters on August 7 before premiering nationwide on August 21.

Release Date

August 7, 2026

Runtime

106 minutes

Director

Matt Johnson

Writers

Todd Bartels, Matthew Miller, Matt Johnson, Lou Howe

Producers

Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller, Tim White, Trevor White

Pros & Cons

Dominic Sessa embodies Anthony Bourdain without doing a cheap impression of him.
Antonio Banderas and Leo Woodall deliver Oscar-worthy performances.
Matt Johnson’s approach to Bourdain’s story feels authentic despite the allegorical liberties.

Emilia Jones’ character in underwritten and underdeveloped.