'Tony': A Fresh, Excellent Biopic

PHOTO: A24

When most people think about biopics, they usually picture the “womb-to-tomb” format that many of them fall into. We are accustomed to following important cultural and historical figures from the beginning of their lives all the way to their most defining achievements, usually ending with a chyron telling us of their impact and when they died. This typical biopic formula has been much maligned, yet still is regularly used in films. So when a biopic breaks from this format, it certainly piques my interest and often makes me more interested in its subject. That is certainly the case with director Matt Johnson’s latest film, Tony, which focuses on a formative summer for one of the biggest names in the culinary world: Anthony Bourdain. 

19-year-old Anthony Bourdain, a.k.a. “Tony” (Dominic Sessa) is a student at Vassar, and has applied for a prestigious writing fellowship. He dreams of being a writer and has his eyes set on one of his classmates, Nancy (Emilia Jones). When he doesn’t get the fellowship, he travels to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where Nancy is staying for the summer. Short on cash, he takes a job in The Flagship, a local seafood restaurant, as a dishwasher. There he becomes part of the raucous kitchen crew, led by a nameless head chef (Antonio Banderas) who takes Tony under his wing. As the summer goes on, Tony tries to win over Nancy while also learning lessons that will ultimately shape him and his future.

Like most people, I’m pretty tired of the standard biopic formula, so the fact that Tony has a different approach is already a major plus. The film may center on just a small part of Anthony Bourdain’s life, but it is a rather significant part of it that sets him up for what he would later become. In a way, this film functions as an origin story, showing us the seeds that were planted that made way for the Anthony Bourdain we know and love. And yet, this isn’t a film where the main character magically changes by the end of the film. In the film, Tony is a liar, arrogant, and kind of a jerk. He certainly finds these parts of him confronted and learns from his mistakes, but he doesn’t end up on the other side a completely changed man. I would argue that he is a better man by the film’s end, but he is still imperfect. I love this, as it makes him feel so much more human than most biopic subjects and made me feel like I knew Anthony Bourdain better by the time the credits began to roll. In a world of cookie-cutter biopics, Tony does something different with the typical ingredients and ends up so much better because of it.

It helps that the film is in good hands with director Matt Johnson, who previously proved that he knows how to handle a biopic with 2023’s BlackBerry. What I love about Johnson’s approach to both films is that he doesn’t just give you what you’d expect and call it a day. He looks at his subjects and finds something new and interesting within them. In this case, he is able to take a more intimate look at Bourdain, and give us a rather succinct portrayal of him despite only focusing on a few months of his life. The key to this is that this version of Bourdain isn’t some wunderkind or portrayed as some hot-shot. He’s just a 19-year-old guy who wants to impress a girl. And like most 19-year-old guys, he’s unrefined, a bit unrealistic, and wants to prove himself. These things make him a more interesting character, and informs so much of the general public opinion of Anthony Bourdain. 

Beyond that, the film has a looser feel to it, evoking more of a hangout movie than a traditional biopic. The simplicity of the film’s plot and structure contributes to this, and gives a summery vibe that fits the film like a glove. It helps that it takes place in Provincetown, with its beaches and seaside atmosphere being captured beautifully. It has such an easy-going energy that makes it feel incredibly re-watchable, and I can see this becoming a bit of a comfort watch for me. Johnson also imbues the film with a bit of humor, something that can also be seen in BlackBerry, and gives the film a bit of levity. With biopics, it is so easy to take your subject too seriously, and the film usually suffers as a result when this happens. This film wisely avoids this, and gives viewers a far more enjoyable experience as a result. 

At the center of the film is Dominic Sessa, who gives an excellent performance as Tony. Much like his breakthrough performance in The Holdovers, Sessa has a strong screen presence, but he feels a bit more grounded in this film. Perhaps it is because Tony is less stylized than The Holdovers, but Sessa’s angst and emotionality feels much more realistic here. He manages to feel like a young Anthony Bourdain without doing too much business or trying to do an impression, which ends up making his portrayal feel far more honest than most recent biopic performances. Sessa is one of those young actors who has such innate talent that extends far beyond his years, and he is so magnetic as well. He is perfectly cast here, as he is so natural in the role, and handles it in such a beautifully human way. It is easily one of my favorite biopic performances of the past decade, and certainly one of the best performances of the year.

Also in the conversation for the year’s best performances is Antonio Banderas as the unnamed Chef at the restaurant Tony works at. Banderas is obviously one of our finest actors and is always great to see on screen. His turn here might be one of his best, as he is mysterious and alluring and has a bit of warmth that is perfectly utilized throughout. The scenes between him and Sessa are some of the film’s best, with a scene where they make ketchup and a fishing sequence among my personal favorites. Banderas has such strong control over the character and keeps his walls up for much of the film. This only makes his character more interesting, and the moments where those walls come down all the more powerful. Banderas is one of those actors who is always good, but his performance here is certainly one of my favorites I’ve seen from him.

Tony is a tremendous biopic that gives us an idea of who Anthony Bourdain was in his early days and what inspired him to pursue what would become a successful culinary career. Matt Johnson’s direction makes the film fresh and charming, and almost everything about it is excellent across the board. This could have easily been more of the same, but it is a different take on the biopic and its smaller, more straightforward nature makes it feel more authentic and genuine. There is something inspiring about the film, as it shows that even though young Tony made mistakes, dumb decisions, and had his fair share of failure, he still eventually became a highly successful chef and author. It’s the type of film that I see really resonating with creatives of any medium, as it shows that the road to success isn’t easy and that we all have to start somewhere. Tony is one of the best biopics of the decade, and it is guaranteed to become a comfort classic for me.

Rating: 4.5/5