Anthony Bourdain biopic 'Tony' released to mixed reviews

The new film "Tony" dramatizes a formative summer in 1975 when a teenage Anthony Bourdain worked as a dishwasher and line cook at The Flagship restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Directed by Matt Johnson, the biopic stars Dominic Sessa as the young Bourdain, with supporting performances by Antonio Banderas, Leo Woodall, Emilia Jones and others. The story draws on Bourdain’s memoir Kitchen Confidential, opening with his own self‑description: “I was — to be frank — a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self‑destructive and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good ass‑kicking.”

Critics note the film’s inventive, coming‑of‑age focus on a single summer rather than a cradle‑to‑grave portrait. Reviews highlight the gritty kitchen atmosphere, the depiction of early drug use, and the mentorship of the restaurant’s head chef. While some praise Sessa’s performance and Johnson’s direction for capturing Bourdain’s restless intelligence, others find the narrative uneven, describing it as both a heartfelt comedy and a factual stretch.