‘Tony’ Trailer Shows Anthony Bourdain’s Raw Youth Before Celebrity

Key facts

• A24 released the first trailer for 'Tony' on Tuesday.
• Dominic Sessa plays a 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain.
• The film is directed by Matt Johnson, known for 'Blackberry'.
• Antonio Banderas plays a head chef named Ciro.
• The story is set in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1975.
• The film is based on two chapters of Bourdain's memoir 'Kitchen Confidential'.
• Bourdain's estate supported the film, calling it 'not a standard biopic'.
• The film is slated for theatrical release in August.

A Trailer That Captures Bourdain’s Unvarnished Origins

The first trailer for 'Tony', the upcoming Anthony Bourdain biopic from A24, offers a raw glimpse into the chef’s early years. Dominic Sessa, fresh from his breakout role in 'The Holdovers', portrays Bourdain as a 19-year-old drifting into the restaurant world of Provincetown, Massachusetts. The trailer, released Tuesday, shows Bourdain’s journey from a pretentious college dropout to a kitchen apprentice.

From Vassar Stoner to Kitchen Apprentice

The trailer opens with Bourdain in his college days, pitching a coming-of-age story. He meets a high school acquaintance, played by Emilia Jones, who reminds him of his past antics. After failing to secure a writing fellowship, Bourdain punches a wall, gets thrown out of a bar, and ends up in Provincetown. There, he begins working under a chef played by Antonio Banderas, who warns him that 11:00 a.m. is late.

A Focus on Two Pivotal Chapters of 'Kitchen Confidential'

Director Matt Johnson zeroed in on two chapters of Bourdain's 2000 memoir 'Kitchen Confidential', which turned the chef into a celebrity. Johnson described those chapters as 'Genesis', packed with marginal details that allowed the cast to explore Bourdain’s origins. The film covers Bourdain’s apprenticeship in Provincetown’s swashbuckling kitchens, a period that catalyzed his transformation.

Bourdain’s Estate Endorses a Non-Traditional Biopic

Bourdain’s estate released a statement supporting the film, emphasizing it is not a standard biopic that attempts to summarize a life. Instead, it depicts one transformative summer in 1975 in Provincetown, an interpretation of a part of Bourdain’s life that remains somewhat unknown. The estate praised Johnson’s vision for the film.

The Cast and Crew Behind the Film

Alongside Sessa and Banderas, the film features Emilia Jones, Dagmara Dominczyk, Rich Sommers, and Stavros Halkias. Johnson, who previously directed 'Blackberry' and 'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie', brings his signature style to the biopic. The trailer is set to punk rock by Television and Spoon’s 'Wild', underscoring Bourdain’s maverick attitude.

A Coming-of-Age Story Set in the Mid-1970s

The film zeroes in on Bourdain’s early life, eschewing the later celebrity and tragedy. It captures his callow volatility, hubris, and drive, as well as the sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll that defined his legend. The trailer shows Bourdain bickering with co-workers and learning to open oysters, a skill that Banderas’s character teaches him.

What the Trailer Reveals About Bourdain’s Character

The trailer portrays Bourdain as a self-aggrandizing, undisciplined young man who treats the world as his ashtray. Sessa’s performance captures Bourdain’s unearned hauteur, which is justifiably drummed out of him by kitchen life. The film promises a satisfying arc from arrogant shithead to committed craftsman, without turning Bourdain into a hero.

The bottom line

• The biopic 'Tony' focuses on Bourdain's formative summer in Provincetown in 1975, avoiding a full-life summary.
• Dominic Sessa’s portrayal emphasizes Bourdain’s early arrogance and eventual transformation under a mentor chef.
• Director Matt Johnson draws from two chapters of 'Kitchen Confidential', treating them as origin material.
• Bourdain’s estate endorsed the film, noting it is an interpretation of a largely unknown period.
• The film is set for release in August, with a cast including Antonio Banderas and Emilia Jones.
• The trailer suggests a gritty, punk-inflected coming-of-age story rather than a hagiographic biopic.