Tony is a sharp, savory origin story worth your time
Tony (2026) shows what happens when a secular saint is shown in a negative light. This telling of Tony Soprano’s origin story focuses on the arrogance and nastiness that are parts of growing up. This is an excellent addition to growing-up stories because it includes the proper amount of biting sarcasm that is necessary to stand out, and it uses the restricted environments of kitchens to show the significance of mundane occasions.
A portrait of the artist as a brat
Dominic Sessa perfectly captures the cockiness and egocentricity of a nineteen-year-old. Biopics tend to show flashes of future greatness, but this one willingly lets its subject remain a self-destructive jerk who very much needs to wake up and smell the coffee. The movie has a very convincing and sweaty representation of the restaurants of the 1970s Provincetown. The heat and humidity of the kitchens is really brought out and feels very oppressive.
This movie departs from the norm because it doesn’t lean on the audience’s knowledge of the future success of the protagonist. It’s a great movie on its own about a kid who gets lost and finds a purpose in the order of dishwashing and the preparations for service. Some familiarity with the real life portrayed person is not even required to see the great contrast between that aimlessness and the confines of the world Sessa brings him into.
The chemistry of the kitchen
Antonio Banderas balances the more chaotic elements in the film in a stellar performance. The veteran chef isn’t a simple mentor-type character; he offers friction against the sentimental elements that the rest of the film could easily succumb to. The balance of the veteran professional and the aspiring writer is the true engine of the film and makes dull tasks of the culinary arts your celebration of small accomplishments.
Some may find the romantic subplot with Emilia Jones a tad convenient, but it serves as the main character’s driving force, even if some of the plot elements happen to feel a little convenient. Michael Bauman’s cinematography manages to show grit of the time period without relying on nostalgic filters, and it pays off. This is a tale of the gumption it takes to make the journey through the world of work that defines one’s character.
Who should buy a ticket
If sharp, witty writing and comedia humbroma is your style, this is for you. This show has a story for people who love cutting through the fluff to see what a protagonist’s true motivation is. The film breaks the tradition of these ordinary, but romanticized, portrayals of the culinary world. People who prefer their stories with more plot or more polished, sanitized portrayals of kitchens would steer clear of this movie.
This movie is not for people expecting a fully fleshed, definitive account of a famous chef’s life. This movie has narrow intent and will not be satisfying if you want a summary of a career. Watch something else if you require your protagonists to become likable early or if you find the purposelessness of movies focused on the youth to be dull and uninspired.
