⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5

I discovered this film with no prior knowledge, after watching a short trailer. It’s based on chef Anthony Bourdain’s kitchen memoirs and follows his coming-of-age journey. Dominic Sessa stars as an immature and foolish young man struggling to convince himself and others he’s a writer despite his lack of acceptance into his desired course.

The film largely focuses on three key relationships and how they influence Bourdain’s progression toward realising his true passion for cooking. Dominic Sessa is convincing in the lead role, playing a character who is intentionally quite unlikeable early on before gradually becoming more grounded. Antonio Banderas steals the show playing his mentor and chef, serving as a vital positive influence, while Emilia Jones plays the love interest and Leo Woodall plays a friend who exerts a negative, almost criminal influences.

A gentle and slow-paced film with an art-house presentation, it is mainly a drama mixed with some light comedy. While Bourdain ultimately finds his path, his early-to-mid-film antics include lies, drug use and manipulation of others. His association with Woodall’s character makes both to be quite unlikable for a good portion of the runtime. Thankfully, the story comes full circle when Anthony spends a summer washing dishes for his mentor and he eventually starts his journey to train as a chef which is life-changing for him.

I wouldn’t usually pick this sort of film, especially since I wasn’t familiar with Anthony Bourdain beforehand. Anyone already familiar with his life and career might find it quite interesting. For anyone else, there’s enough to keep you engaged. It doesn’t try to make him likeable before he finds his eventual footing and real direction in life.

Directed by Matt Johnson, Tony is a 2026 biographical coming-of-age comedy-drama adapted from Anthony Bourdain’s memoir Kitchen Confidential, starring Dominic Sessa as a 19-year-old Bourdain who follows his high school crush to Provincetown, Massachusetts, and finds his life transformed by a chaotic summer washing dishes under the mentorship of a seasoned chef played by Antonio Banderas.

Online synopsis 

Film Rating

Music/Sound

3 out of 5

Story/plot

4 out of 5

Acting/Performances

4 out of 5

Overall

3.5 out of 5

Certification: 15
Running time: 106 minutes
Screening type: 2D