ADACHI RECOMMENDS 'TONY': Banderas could be nominated for real Oscar
By Darryl Adachi
Anthony Bourdain described his younger self as “spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless.” Indeed, in Tony, currently playing at the Taylor, the young college student Anthony Bourdain is depicted as all of these—so much so that for the first thirty minutes of the film, you keep asking yourself, “Why are you still here?” Young Anthony was, in short, a jerk—not that this should necessarily determine whether you stay for the entire length of a film. After all, there are antiheroes who lack traditional qualities such as moral courage or integrity but still manage to draw an audience’s sympathy and support. (Think no further than Timothée Chalamet’s role in Marty Supreme .)
That said, I, along with the rest of the moviegoing audience, decided to stay. After a somewhat slow start, the film picks up after Tony arrives in Provincetown, Massachusetts, the summer after his first year at Vassar. With no money, no place to stay and no friends, he has little choice but to take a dishwashing job at a local restaurant. Lazy, incompetent and disinterested at first, he plies his trade in exchange for a place to sleep, free meals and a few dollars a week.
About midway through the film, you begin to get a sense of where the story is headed as Tony observes his colorful co-workers in the kitchen. It turns out to be his initiation into the culinary world. Chief among them is Chef, played by Antonio Banderas in a commanding and quietly moving performance. Chef takes Tony under his wing and begins to mentor him. Unknown to Tony, who initially has little respect for him, Chef is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the world’s premier culinary college, and was once on the Michelin track. (When Tony first hears this, he assumes Chef once worked for the Central Intelligence Agency.)
It is never revealed exactly how or why Chef ended up in Provincetown, working in a small, nondescript restaurant, other than that “it was his own.” Chef is not ashamed of where he is. He is thankful for the cards he has been dealt and believes that God is watching over him. You like him. Banderas lends considerable weight to the movie, and I personally think his performance is worthy of Oscar consideration.
A bond begins to grow between Chef and Tony as Tony is given responsibilities beyond dishwashing. In an effort to impress a girl he knows, Tony wants to learn how to prepare a special dish and enlists Chef to help him. It is in this sequence that we first see Tony at the very beginning of his culinary career.
An accident in the kitchen brings the evening to an abrupt end, and we see Chef distraught as his business is destroyed. It is here that Tony takes another turn in his life, looking to care for someone other than himself by launching an event that ultimately saves the restaurant.
This film could have been darker, given what awaited Anthony’s future. But by keeping the story centered on just one summer in his young life, the film leaves us, in a way, with hope for Tony. You find yourself happy for him and for the decision he makes to pursue the culinary arts as his life’s work. We see a Tony who has matured to some degree and is finally becoming honest with himself and with others.
Toward the end of the film, Chef suggests that Tony begin calling himself by the more adult name “Anthony.” The only person who calls Tony “Anthony” is his mother.
“Smart woman,” Chef says.
Dominic Sessa plays the role of young Anthony Bourdain and does an admirable job. This is only one of a few films in which he has appeared and his first leading role. Another noteworthy performance comes from Leo Woodall, who plays Tony’s unhinged kitchen mate and poor role model, Sal. Sal’s misjudged actions ultimately open the door for Tony to take on a larger role at the restaurant.
The film overall has received positive reviews, including a 95% score from Rotten Tomatoes. There are no monsters to fight or buildings to swing from in this movie, but Tony turns out to be every bit as satisfying a moviegoing experience as the blockbusters that preceded it this summer.
