Director Matt Johnson is bringing a different perspective to the legacy of Anthony Bourdain with his new A24 film, Tony. Rather than attempting a full biography, Johnson focuses on the formative years of the famed chef. The story centers on a young, disaffected Bourdain during a summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he navigated his first experiences working in a professional kitchen.
Johnson, known for his work on BlackBerry, did not initially feel a personal connection to Bourdain’s public persona. However, after meeting star Dominic Sessa, the team found a shared interest in exploring the universal struggle of transitioning from adolescence into adulthood. The film avoids being a standard food-focused drama. Instead, it uses the kitchen environment as a backdrop to examine social dynamics and the search for identity.
To keep the story grounded, the filmmakers pulled from a ten-year period of Bourdain’s life. They also included a cameo from Eric Ripert, a close friend of the late chef, who appears in a scene designed to mark a turning point for the character. By portraying a younger, less polished version of the media icon, Johnson aims to offer audiences a relatable narrative about growth rather than a celebration of an untouchable figure.
The film features Dominic Sessa as the lead, with a supporting cast that includes Antonio Banderas. Johnson emphasizes that this project is intended to make Bourdain’s path feel accessible to anyone who has faced the uncertainty of growing up. Tony is currently moving into theaters, offering a specific window into the early chapters of a life that many think they already know well.