Dominic Sessa Shines as Young Anthony Bourdain

According to film reviews covering the project, Tony is a 1-hour-and-46-minute biographical drama directed by Matt Johnson that explores the pivotal summer of 1975 when a 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain worked in a Provincetown seafood restaurant before enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America. Rated R and scheduled for release on Friday, Aug. 7, the film stars Dominic Sessa as the future celebrity chef alongside Antonio Banderas and Emilia Jones, offering a focused look at an unformed young adult prior to his international fame.

Cast and Production Details for Matt Johnson’s Tony

Directed by Matt Johnson, the R-rated feature is built on an original script by Todd Bartels and Lou Howe, in collaboration with producers Matthew Miller and Johnson. According to production records, the cast features Dominic Sessa in the lead role, Antonio Banderas as the restaurant chef, Emilia Jones as Nancy, and Leo Woodall as Sal. The ensemble also includes Stavros Halkias, Michael Jibrin, Monica Raymund, Rich Sommer, Dagmara Dominczyk, Liam Fitch, Joe Burns, and Eric Ripert, who appears briefly on an admissions panel.

Production and costume design capture the mid-1970s aesthetic with understated detail, according to film reviews. Cinematographer Michael Bauman utilizes the soft pink light of Cape Cod to ground the narrative, while a soundtrack curated by Johnson includes period needle drops alongside a score by Jay McCarrol and Walter Murphy’s track “A Fifth of Beethoven.”

Plot and Character Arc in Provincetown

According to the film’s narrative summary, the story follows a rudderless Tony as he impulsively follows his high school crush, Nancy, to Provincetown, Massachusetts, after stealing money from his father’s wallet. Stranded with a black eye and empty pockets following an initial altercation at a local bar, Tony secures a job washing dishes and a place to sleep on a beach house deck from the Flagship’s chef, played by Antonio Banderas.

Under the mentorship of Chef and alongside volatile co-worker Sal, played by Leo Woodall, Tony navigates a high-pressure restaurant environment. According to critics, this period serves as a real-world blueprint for the chaotic kitchen culture later documented in Bourdain’s bestselling first book, Kitchen Confidential.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Tony scheduled for release?

The film is scheduled to be released on Friday, Aug. 7.

Who plays the young Anthony Bourdain in the movie?

Dominic Sessa portrays the title character during his time in Provincetown.

What period of Anthony Bourdain’s life does the movie cover?

According to the film’s premise, the story focuses on the summer of 1975 when Bourdain was 19 years old, working in a seafood kitchen just before enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America.