Summary:
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A24’s “Tony” biopic on Anthony Bourdain scores 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, debuting at 100% initially.
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Dominic Sessa shines as young Bourdain in the summer of 1975, praised for his performance.
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Some critics question the film’s origin story, while others hail Sessa as a rising star.
A24’s Anthony Bourdain biopic “Tony” is carrying a 94% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 48 reviews. The film debuted at a perfect 100% when the review embargo lifted July 29, a rare opening for a genre critics tend to punish.
Dominic Sessa, the “Holdovers” breakout, plays Bourdain at 19 in the summer of 1975. The aspiring writer takes a job in a Provincetown, Massachusetts, restaurant kitchen and stumbles into the work that would define the rest of his life. Matt Johnson directs. Antonio Banderas, Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall, Rich Sommer, Dagmara Dominczyk and Stavros Halkias co-star.
Most of the praise has gone to Sessa. Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com wrote that the actor locates both deep uncertainty and brash confidence in the character, sometimes inside the same beat. Owen Gleiberman of Variety said the performance confirms Sessa as a genuine movie star.
The reception isn’t unanimous. Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press gave the film 2 out of 4 stars and wrote that it “fails as an origin story.”
It’s Johnson’s second release of the year, following “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,” which sits at 96%.
“Tony” is rated R and runs 1 hour 46 minutes. It opens in limited release Friday, Aug. 7, and expands nationwide Aug. 21.
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