Bourdain before he was Bourdain: what do critics think of the film about the iconic chef

A new film exploring the early life of iconic chef Anthony Bourdain has drawn mixed reviews from critics following its release in US cinemas. Titled Tony, the movie traces the story of a young Anthony Bourdain in the summer of 1975, before he became a celebrated food writer and television personality. Directed and co-written by Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson, the film is backed by production company A24 and stars Dominic Sessa as the titular character. Set in Provincetown, Massachusetts, the film follows a 19-year-old Bourdain, played by Sessa, who arrives in the coastal town after failing to secure a writing scholarship. With little else to do, he ends up working in a seafood restaurant, where he meets a group of young men led by the charismatic Sal, portrayed by Leo Woodall. The restaurant’s owner, known only as the Chef, played by Antonio Banderas, offers him a hammock on his terrace in exchange for dishwashing duties. It is during this time that Bourdain begins to test his ego and ambitions, setting the stage for his eventual transformation into the man who would become a global culinary icon. Inspired by the early chapters of Bourdain’s best-selling memoir Confessions of a Culinary Assassin (2000), the film avoids hagiography, instead presenting a raw and unflinching portrayal of its subject. Johnson, who previously directed films such as BlackBerry (2023) and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025), admitted that he had limited familiarity with Bourdain’s later work. This distance allowed him to approach the project with a more detached perspective, focusing instead on the emotional and psychological dimensions of the young Bourdain. In an interview with GQ, Johnson explained how he and actor Dominic Sessa approached their roles. “We both believed that much of our personalities and identities were shaped by the people we admired, for better or worse,” he said. He emphasized that the film was not meant to be a tribute, but rather an exploration of how individuals are influenced by those they look up to. To ground the narrative, Johnson sought out people still living in Provincetown who knew Bourdain personally, combining these real-life accounts with creative storytelling. Johnson also highlighted what he saw as Bourdain’s greatest strength: his vulnerability. “He was far more wounded and insecure than people realized,” he noted. This insight helped shape the tone of the film, which balances humor with introspection, capturing the contradictions of a young man trying to find his place in the world. The film has received largely positive feedback from critics. Los Angeles Times praised the film’s lively and relaxed tone, stating that it does not require prior knowledge of Bourdain to be enjoyed. The paper called it “the most touching comedy of the year.” Similarly, The New York Times commended the decision to focus on a specific period in Bourdain’s life, arguing that the film would have been just as compelling even if its protagonist were entirely fictional. However, not all responses have been uniformly positive. Rolling Stone raised questions about whether the film might have altered certain names to protect individuals, suggesting that the story could have been presented differently to avoid placing blame on real people. Despite these concerns, the film continues to generate interest, with audiences and critics alike engaging in discussions about its portrayal of Bourdain’s early years.