TONY
Starring: Dominic Sessa, Antonio Banderas, Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall, Stavros Halkias, Michael Jibrin, and Monica Raymund
Director: Matt Johnson
NICK
Aside from knowing he was a chef and learning about his untimely death, my knowledge of Anthony Bourdain was very limited. Tony, however, made me want to learn more about him, which is the best compliment I can give. By focusing on Bourdain's culinary origins, director Matt Johnson is able to tell his story as a compelling coming-of-age tale that works tremendously well. With a career-best performance from Dominic Sessa as Bourdain and a sincere turn from Antonio Banderas as his de facto father figure (both men deserve award recognition), Tony is a success across the board and highlights Johnson’s limitless possibilities as a director.
ADRIANO
Tony exemplifies what I want from a biopic. I don’t have much interest in Anthony Bourdain (played perfectly with young greaseball energy by Dominic Sessa), yet this film had me intrigued by his upbringing and what made him who he became. Instead of the annoying “here are the things he did” approach, director/co-writer Matt Johnson opts for a profound but endlessly entertaining coming-of-age story about being young, stupid, and realizing you don’t have it figured out yet. That it happens to be about Bourdain is just a bonus. Paired with excellent cinematography in every frame, Matt Johnson is two-for-two in 2026.
AMARÚ
Tony is dirty, grungy, and the epitome of Anthony Bourdain: the asshole we can’t help but gravitate towards. The fact that Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol can successfully go from directing and composing the hilariously silly Nirvanna movie to something this somber shows they have a true handle on their voice; this film’s voice is rooted in both soul and suffering. It has a darkness that will resonate with many people, but underneath it all is a hope, warmth, and passion that will resonate even more. Dominic Sessa channels all that summed up Bourdain, body and mind, and helps deliver a melancholic yet entertaining film.
KATIE
Tony is less of a biopic and more of an unconventional coming-of-age story. Though it incorporates familiar elements from those types of narratives, namely love, loss, and life lessons, it never feels generic or too predictable. Dominic Sessa is fantastic as Anthony Bourdain, earning every bit of character development, and his performance ensures Bourdain is neither too unlikeable nor too forgiving. Plus, Antonio Banderas, in some of his most impressive English-language work, gives a scene-stealing performance. The cinematography also is immersive, looking gorgeous yet understated and like a perfectly sun-kissed 1970s. And, most importantly, it’s always entertaining.
ROBERT
Unless you have three-plus hours, trying to compile all of a person's important life events into a cohesive and entertaining biopic is foolhardy. Tony handles this conundrum with aplomb by focusing on a small yet important cross-section of someone’s life and building up character. If you’re aware of Anthony Bourdain, played by Dominic Sessa with tireless, rebellious energy, you see the indelible traits sprinkled throughout that were prominent in his real life. If you aren’t familiar, you get a wonderfully composed snapshot in time of a man trying to figure himself out during a post-Vietnam, 1970s America. Director Matt Johnson knows his business well: trailblazing misanthropes.
BODE
The thing to note about Tony is that it’s only barely a biopic. While director Matt Johnson - working with some A24 money this time - does take a page from the early days of Anthony Bourdain, it almost never comes off like he’s going through your typical “making of the legend” arc. It’s mostly content being a breezy, chaotic, and melancholy hangout movie, and Johnson hits those beats quite capably - getting great performances out of his cast (Antonio Banderas and Leo Woodall especially shine), and utilizing some great period-accurate needle drops in the process. It’s a solid maturation for the Nirvanna filmmaker all around.
