Tony

Based on Bourdain’s early experiences working in Provincetown, Massachusetts, which would later feature in his memoir Kitchen Confidential, Tony follows the future chef as he stumbles into a culinary culture filled with colourful personalities, questionable decisions and opportunities to reinvent himself.

One of the challenges of a film like Tony is that audiences are asked to experience the story through the eyes of someone who isn’t particularly appealing. This isn’t the worldly, charismatic Bourdain who would eventually become beloved around the globe. He is young, arrogant, dishonest and frequently difficult to embrace. Yet this may also be the film’s greatest strength.

Following his breakout performance in The Holdovers, Sessa proves he has the ability to carry a film, particularly when surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Emilia Jones and Leo Woodall provide valuable layers to Bourdain’s formative years, but Antonio Banderas becomes the heart of the story. His performance as Anthony’s mentor provides the warmth and wisdom needed to balance the younger man’s self-destructive tendencies.

After BlackBerry, director Matt Johnson once again demonstrates that he isn’t afraid to make a biographical film about complicated people. He refuses to sanitise Bourdain’s beginnings simply because audiences know what the young man will eventually become. At times, Tony can be difficult to stomach precisely because its central character is allowed to remain deeply flawed. Yet, there is something strangely hopeful within this ugly-duckling tale.

Greatness doesn’t always emerge from stellar beginnings. Bourdain’s youthful failures, lies and questionable decisions make his eventual transformation all the more fascinating. Knowing the extraordinary career that followed, along with his untimely death, inevitably adds a melancholy layer to these formative experiences without requiring the film to turn him into a saint.

This is also where A24 continues to demonstrate its willingness to break the biopic mould. Tony embraces the rough edges of its era and central character rather than whitewashing either for broader appeal. It isn’t always comfortable viewing, but perhaps that is preferable to another cinematic tribute determined to tell audiences how wonderful its subject was. Tony doesn’t ask us to admire the young Anthony Bourdain. It asks us to consider how this deeply imperfect young man ever became Anthony Bourdain at all.

REEL DIALOGUE: Can you build a life on lies?

Throughout Tony, Anthony lies.

He lies to gain opportunities, lies to protect himself and lies because manipulating the truth seems easier than confronting reality. Yet the irony is that his life only begins moving in the right direction when he becomes willing to be honest.

Jesus had something fascinating to say about this: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32

This verse is regularly quoted outside its biblical context as though simply knowing the facts will somehow liberate us. Yet Jesus was speaking about something considerably deeper. He connects truth with following him and being released from slavery to sin.

Lies promise freedom while gradually creating another prison.

One lie requires another. Maintaining the person we pretend to be eventually becomes exhausting, while admitting the truth can feel considerably more dangerous. Anthony’s journey demonstrates this tension remarkably well. Dishonesty may get him through the kitchen door, but it cannot provide the foundation for the person he needs to become.

Christianity makes an equally uncomfortable claim about humanity. None of us arrives before God with a spotless résumé. We all carry failures, regrets and things we would prefer others never knew.

Yet the gospel doesn’t require us to disguise them.

Jesus offers forgiveness precisely because we need it. Freedom begins when we stop pretending, acknowledge the truth about ourselves and recognise the truth about him.

Perhaps that is one of the unexpected ingredients within Tony: your beginnings don’t have to determine your ending, but eventually you have to stop lying about who you are.

Where to look for more details: John 8:31–36; John 14:6; Ephesians 4:25; 1 John 1:8–9; Proverbs 12:22.