Matt Johnson’s Tony is not a coming of age picture, but a snapshot of a future-altering moment in the life of a 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain. Set over the course of one summer, Johnson’s film captures the spark that would become the fire of Bourdain’s lifelong passion.
Written by Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, Lou Howe, and director Johnson, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (Bourdain’s bestselling book from 2000) was the springboard for the film’s screenplay, using anecdotes of Bourdain’s early days to shape their film. Tony introduces him before the superstardom and prior to the culinary legend and unique character the world knows.
For those familiar with his food-travel shows, one can almost hear the adult Tony narrating the synopsis of his own story; “Here, with no direction and almost no hope for a successful future, we find a teenager lost in a world where he casts himself as the outsider. Hypocritically seeking acceptance, the young man makes his way to Cape Cod. It is in this hook-shaped paradise of sand dunes, maritime history, and culinary traditions where unexpected human connections will shape his life and send him on a journey of food, fame, and self-discovery.”
The screenplay doesn’t dig too deeply into the troubled young man who would carry his demons with him until his tragic suicide in 2018. What makes Tony work is its ability to capture his immediate passion for all things culinary. Watching the young Bourdain become seduced by the pure art of cooking (and the camaraderie of a working kitchen) is where Johnson’s film finds its heart.
Dominic Sessa makes good on his great work in Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers. The film introduces Bourdain as a seriously intelligent but truly flawed wannabe-writer who sabotages any good graces that might come his way. Sessa doesn’t try to oversell the positives within the character. For much of the film, Tony Bourdain is an asshole. There’s a good man trapped inside this lost teenager and one who needs patience and guidance. Sessna gets to the root of both the Tony who distrusts the world and the teenager who just wants something to ignite his passion for life. The performance isn’t an imitation. Sessa gets Bourdain’s diction down, but it is the intensity of his character watching and listening where the actor’s work elevates the film. We can see his many complexities fall away when he is with people who acknowledge his desire for exploration.
After failing (in a humorous opening moment) to bullshit his way into a writing fellowship, Tony lies to everyone and claims he won. Knowing his world is soon to blow up over the deception, Bourdain sneaks away to Cape Cod to follow a girl he barely knows. Nancy (Emilia Jones) blows him off but is intrigued by the romantic impetuosity of the gesture.
When Bourdain is thrown out of a bar-restaurant for drunken belligerence, the owner (who had him tossed out) takes pity on the young man, offering up his porch hammock and a job washing dishes in the restaurant to earn his keep.
Known only as “Chef”, Antonio Banderas does fine work as a kind soul who (fed up with his wild staff) sees something special lurking inside this young upstart. Chef comes to care for Tony. The two will become mentor and student, as Bourdain is introduced to the world of cooking and food preparation. Along with culinary lessons, Chef tries to guide Tony toward a more suitable life.
The filmmakers try hard to design the film as “Tony Bourdain’s Boogie Nights”, as there is an over reliance on songs from the era. It is the rare director that can properly use “needle drops” in a film. Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, and Paul Thomas Anderson are probably the best examples, as their works feature songs that reach artful cinematic levels, enhancing their stories and leaving a lasting impact on the audience. Can one hear The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter without seeing the images of Scorsese-directed mobsters?
Matt Johnson fills the picture with enough music to warrant a soundtrack before the film reaches its halfway point. While many of the choices are songs from groups that meant a lot to Bourdain, the music montages are unnecessary. Let the audience spend more time with Tony’s in Chef’s kitchen and witness more of their conversations. When Sessa and Banderas share scenes, the moments are intimate gold. Some songs are fine, but Johnson allows for too many ingredients in his soundtrack recipe.
Most of what we see is true and the stories of his time at “The Cape” are part of what makes Bourdain’s book a fascinating read. Johnson and his writers chose wisely when deciding to focus on one three month period of his life. There would be many moments in his life journey that would elevate Tony Bourdain to higher skills and deeper insight regarding the world. It was his summer at Cape Cod that would change his world and the film is richer by letting the audience see the beginning.
There are small hints of Bourdain’s future; foreshadowings of both the happy and the sad. Wisely, the picture doesn’t dwell on the sordid things to come, which would be fetishistic and disrespectful. Johnson understands the weight behind such an enduring legacy.
Anthony Bourdain had passion. Be it food, music, or cinema, it was nothing short of complete immersion into whatever artistic pleasures inspired his own. A world class chef, his desire to further expand his culinary knowledge was never ending. As a popular television personality, the man brought joy to millions even as he straddled the light and the dark. The tragic truth being that no amount of knowledge, admiration, or wealth could defeat his personal demons. Such a tragic final chapter should not be what defines a man who desperately wanted to understand life and chose to share his journey with all who would listen. Everyone who loved and respected Bourdain, including his legions of fans, chose to remember the light.
Tony stands as a fitting tribute to a fascinating human being. Such a passionate rebirth for a lost young man is the film’s proper and respectful focus.
Tony
Written by Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, Lou Howe, & Matt Johnson
Directed by Matt Johnson
Starring Dominic Sessa, Antonio Banderas, Emilia Jones, Dagmara Domińczyk, Rich Sommer, Stavros Halkias, Leo Woodall, Michael Jibrin, Caroline Portu, Monica Raymund, Ava Davey-Bissett
R, 106 Minutes, A24, Zapruder Films
