Set in 1970s Provincetown, Matt Johnson’s Tony captures Anthony Bourdain before he became a famous chef and travel-show host. Anchored by songs from Bourdain’s personal playlists and driven by sharp performances, the film finds humor, conflict and restless energy in one unforgettable summer.
A killer soundtrack built around Anthony Bourdain’s personal playlists carries an equally impressive film: Tony.
Very near the beginning, we hear “Strawberry Letter 23” by The Brothers Johnson, and that’s enough for most folks in the know to get their juices flowing.
Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson (Blackberry) and his producer pals combed through hundreds of songs from former American chef Anthony Bourdain’s collection; the one on Deezer features 458 tracks.
The songs anchor the funny and moving film in the mid-1970s, when Bourdain, played masterfully by Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers), enjoyed a wild summer in the U.S. fishing village of Provincetown.
Bourdain, who passed away in 2018, was not yet famous—not as a chef or as a writer or a travel show host. This sharply focused approach is the film’s biggest strength.
There’s basically not a dull moment. The characters roam through a jungle of white lies, heated arguments and relationship conflicts. Aside from Sessa, one of the most memorable roles is delivered by Antonio Banderas (Zorro) as the head chef. In my book, it’s his best performance to date.
Bourdain’s life is filled with so much adventure and spirit that capturing it all in one film is like trying to grasp the moon with open hands.
Johnson doesn’t swing his hands wildly toward the stars.
Instead, he lies on the floor beside Sessa and adjusts his feet to achieve the perfect camera angle, without ever calling “Cut!”
This allows Michael Bauman (One Battle After Another)—the critically acclaimed cinematographer—-to capture the heated action in the kitchen in long takes.
The results are ours to enjoy.
‘Tony’ opens in cinemas on October 9.
FILM DETAILS
Title: Tony (2026)
Running time: 109 minutes
Cast: Dominic Sessa, Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall, Antonio Banderas
Director: Matt Johnson
Screen writers: Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, Lou Howe
