Title: Tony
MPA Rating: R
Director: Matt Johnson
Starring: Dominic Sessa, Emilia Jones, Antonio Banderas
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
What It Is: Young Anthony Bourdain (Sessa) spends a summer away from Vassar College at a small fishing town near Cape Cod. When he doesn’t get into a prestigious program he instead works at a little restaurant run by a chef (Banderas) in order to get closer to his high school crush Nancy (Jones). What ensues is a summer that’ll change the trajectory of Tony’s life forever and will lead this young man to become the world-renowned chef behind the incredible No Reservations amongst other projects.
What We Think: Dominic Sessa continues to impress. In the two of his projects I’ve seen, this and The Holdovers, he’s been superb. Here he embodies Bourdain. Brash and in desperate need of an ass-kicking. Spoiled and rich and entitled. When reality smacks him in the face Sessa shifts his performance to match. Leo Woodall is a scene stealer as he’s become accustomed to being. Look at his terrific turn in this year’s Turner. Matt Johnson is a fantastic director. He really understands scope and framing which is such a surprise because a lot of his other films are more…let’s say improvisational. Much like with Blackberry though, when he has a focused narrative he can really make something special. Here he’s done it again.
Our Grade: B+, Man. I loved this one. It’s a flawed but wonderful piece. Kind of like the man it’s about. Matt Johnson is a great director and Sessa a fantastic actor who is really showing a lot. I’m certain that Bourdain would be really proud of this presentation of a period of his life. It was nice to see Emilia Jones again. She doesn’t do enough films and every time she does, from my perspective she kills it. I highly recommend this. A24 dipping its toes into the real lives of real people always tends to do well, with me and critics overall. Here though, even audiences are sure to find something they enjoy. High recommend here.