A24’s Anthony Bourdain Origin Story Just Achieved Something Almost No Biopic Ever Does

Biopics have a notoriously rocky relationship with critics, often stumbling into the same tired beats that turn a fascinating real-life figure into a paint-by-numbers awards vehicle. That makes it all the more remarkable when a film about a real person manages to break through that skepticism entirely.

‘Tony‘ arrives from director Matt Johnson, the filmmaker behind ‘BlackBerry’ and ‘Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,’ known for his loose, improvisational approach to storytelling that keeps his films feeling alive rather than staged. This time, he’s turning that same energy toward a fictionalized retelling of a formative summer in the life of Anthony Bourdain, years before the world knew him as a celebrity chef and author.

That approach has now paid off in dramatic fashion. ‘Tony’ debuted with a perfect 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, an almost unheard-of feat for a biographical drama, with the film’s review embargo lifting to near-universal critical praise across major outlets.

Dominic Sessa, best known for his breakout role in ‘The Holdovers,’ stars as a 19-year-old Bourdain, a self-assured, chip-on-his-shoulder aspiring writer whose plans get upended when he misses out on a fellowship at Vassar. Rather than staying the course, he follows a young woman named Nancy, played by Emilia Jones, to Provincetown, where a summer working in a restaurant kitchen alongside a charismatic cook named Sal, played by Leo Woodall, sets him on the unexpected path toward the career that would eventually define him.

Critics have consistently praised the film for sidestepping the traditional biopic formula entirely. Rather than chronicling Bourdain’s rise to fame, ‘Tony’ zeroes in on a single, transformative summer, framing itself less as a conventional life story and more as a coming-of-age film that just happens to be loosely inspired by real events.

Much of that praise has centered on Sessa’s performance, which multiple reviewers have singled out as a genuine star-making turn. Variety’s review described watching him fully step into leading-man territory, crediting the actor with channeling both Bourdain’s simmering anger and his underlying emotional vulnerability in a way that elevates the film well beyond typical summer indie fare.

Antonio Banderas has also drawn significant attention for his supporting role as a mentor figure known only as “Chef,” with reviewers highlighting a quiet, understated scene involving the two making ketchup from scratch as one of the film’s most memorable moments. The film’s supporting cast also includes Dagmara Domińczyk, Rich Sommer, Stavros Halkias, and Monica Raymund.

While not every reviewer considered the film a complete home run, with some noting it holds back from making Bourdain fully likable even by the end, the overall consensus has remained overwhelmingly positive. That balance of complicated characterization, rather than a sanitized, hero-worship approach, appears to be exactly what’s resonating with critics tired of formulaic biographical filmmaking.

Loosely inspired by elements of Bourdain’s own memoir ‘Kitchen Confidential,’ the film takes creative liberties with the specifics of this period in his life while still capturing the restless, rebellious spirit that would eventually define his voice as a writer and chef. That blend of fiction and biography seems to be part of what’s allowing ‘Tony’ to feel fresh rather than formulaic.

With A24 backing the release and set to bring ‘Tony’ to theaters in August, the film’s flawless critical debut positions it as one of the more unexpected awards-season sleepers of the year. Given how rarely biopics manage this kind of universal acclaim, Sessa’s breakout performance alone seems poised to make this one of the more talked-about films of the late summer season.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!