Enter a Rotten Tomatoes movie slug to inspect the stored movie, batches, snapshots, and reviews.
Movie ID: 843
RT slug: tony_2026
RT URL: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tony_2026
Release year: 2026
Runtime: 106 mins
Wide release date: 2026-08-07
Limited release date: —
Festival premiere date: —
Streaming release date: —
Tomatometer final: —
Audience score final: —
Genres: Biography, Drama
Directors: Matt Johnson
Writers: Lou Howe, Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels
Producers: Matt Johnson, Matthew Miller, Tim White, Trevor White
MPAA rating: R
Executive Producers: —
Created: 2026-07-14 17:55:01
Updated: 2026-07-14 17:55:01
Nineteen-year-old Anthony Bourdain stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that shapes the course of his life.
—
Canonical reviews: 137
Canonical fresh: 129
Canonical rotten: 8
Canonical calculated Tomatometer: 94%
Latest snapshot UTC: 2026-08-17 08:09:22
Snapshot Tomatometer: 94%
Snapshot review count: 136
Snapshot fresh count: —
Snapshot rotten count: —
Source note: Imported from manual review paste batch #2844 (delta_update)
| Company | Role |
|---|---|
| A24 | distributor |
| Star Thrower Entertainment | production |
| Zapruder Films | production |
| Billing | Name | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dominic Sessa | Tony |
| 2 | Emilia Jones | Actor |
| 3 | Leo Woodall | Actor |
| 4 | Antonio Banderas | Actor |
| 5 | Stavros Halkias | Actor |
| Batch ID | Status | Mode | Created | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 859 | processed | — | 2026-07-14 17:55:01 | Processed successfully into movie_id=843 using update_mode=merge_non_empty. |
| Batch ID | Local Snapshot | UTC Snapshot | Entered % | Entered Count | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2844 | 2026-08-17 03:09:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-17 08:09:22 | 94% | 136 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 17 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=17, fresh=14, rotten=3, tomatometer=82%. Net new reviews added=17, fresh=14, rotten=3. Current canonical totals=137 reviews, 129 fresh, 8 rotten, tomatometer=94% (94.161%). WARNING: entered headline 136 reviews / 94% did not match current canonical totals 137 reviews / 94%. |
| 2747 | 2026-08-14 05:31:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-14 10:31:49 | 96% | 119 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 22 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=22, fresh=21, rotten=1, tomatometer=95%. Net new reviews added=22, fresh=21, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=120 reviews, 115 fresh, 5 rotten, tomatometer=96% (95.833%). WARNING: entered headline 119 reviews / 96% did not match current canonical totals 120 reviews / 96%. |
| 2724 | 2026-08-12 07:02:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-12 12:02:16 | 96% | 97 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 5 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=5, fresh=5, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=5, fresh=5, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=98 reviews, 94 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=96% (95.918%). WARNING: entered headline 97 reviews / 96% did not match current canonical totals 98 reviews / 96%. |
| 2703 | 2026-08-11 07:24:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-11 12:24:52 | 96% | 92 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=3, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=3, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=93 reviews, 89 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=96% (95.699%). WARNING: entered headline 92 reviews / 96% did not match current canonical totals 93 reviews / 96%. |
| 2695 | 2026-08-11 03:09:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-11 08:09:53 | 96% | 89 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 6 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=6, fresh=6, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=6, fresh=6, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=90 reviews, 86 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=96% (95.556%). WARNING: entered headline 89 reviews / 96% did not match current canonical totals 90 reviews / 96%. |
| 2685 | 2026-08-10 07:32:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-10 12:32:33 | 95% | 84 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=84 reviews, 80 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.238%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (84 reviews, 95%). |
| 2677 | 2026-08-10 04:32:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-10 09:32:54 | 95% | 83 | processed | Mode=full_snapshot. Processed 83 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=83, fresh=79, rotten=4, tomatometer=95%. Net new reviews added=0, fresh=0, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=84 reviews, 80 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.238%). Entered review count matched parsed batch count (83). Entered tomatometer matched parsed batch value (95%). |
| 2676 | 2026-08-10 03:52:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-10 08:52:56 | 95% | 83 | processed | Mode=full_snapshot. Processed 83 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=83, fresh=79, rotten=4, tomatometer=95%. Net new reviews added=0, fresh=0, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=84 reviews, 80 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.238%). Entered review count matched parsed batch count (83). Entered tomatometer matched parsed batch value (95%). |
| 2673 | 2026-08-10 03:22:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-10 08:22:30 | 95% | 83 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=84 reviews, 80 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.238%). WARNING: entered headline 83 reviews / 95% did not match current canonical totals 84 reviews / 95%. |
| 2669 | 2026-08-09 05:40:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-09 10:40:29 | 95% | 82 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=82 reviews, 78 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.122%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (82 reviews, 95%). |
| 2664 | 2026-08-08 07:22:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-08 12:22:07 | 95% | 81 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=81 reviews, 77 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.062%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (81 reviews, 95%). |
| 2650 | 2026-08-08 01:18:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-08 06:18:55 | 95% | 80 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 22 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=22, fresh=21, rotten=1, tomatometer=95%. Net new reviews added=22, fresh=21, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=80 reviews, 76 fresh, 4 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (80 reviews, 95%). |
| 2622 | 2026-08-06 10:32:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-06 15:32:56 | 95% | 58 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=58 reviews, 55 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=95% (94.828%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (58 reviews, 95%). |
| 2617 | 2026-08-06 09:32:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-06 14:32:52 | 95% | 57 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=57 reviews, 54 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=95% (94.737%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (57 reviews, 95%). |
| 2612 | 2026-08-06 09:04:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-06 14:04:38 | 95% | 56 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 5 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=5, fresh=5, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=5, fresh=5, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=56 reviews, 53 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=95% (94.643%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (56 reviews, 95%). |
| 2588 | 2026-08-05 13:22:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-05 18:22:13 | 94% | 51 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=51 reviews, 48 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=94% (94.118%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (51 reviews, 94%). |
| 2582 | 2026-08-05 10:32:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-05 15:32:13 | 94% | 50 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=50 reviews, 47 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=94% (94.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (50 reviews, 94%). |
| 2579 | 2026-08-05 08:51:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-05 13:51:51 | 94% | 49 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=49 reviews, 46 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=94% (93.878%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (49 reviews, 94%). |
| 2577 | 2026-08-04 18:30:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-04 23:30:18 | 94% | 48 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=48 reviews, 45 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=94% (93.750%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (48 reviews, 94%). |
| 2575 | 2026-08-04 17:30:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-04 22:30:21 | 94% | 47 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=47 reviews, 44 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=94% (93.617%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (47 reviews, 94%). |
| 2562 | 2026-08-04 14:45:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-04 19:45:17 | 93% | 46 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=1, rotten=1, tomatometer=50%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=1, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=46 reviews, 43 fresh, 3 rotten, tomatometer=93% (93.478%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (46 reviews, 93%). |
| 2559 | 2026-08-04 12:30:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-04 17:30:15 | 95% | 44 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=44 reviews, 42 fresh, 2 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.455%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (44 reviews, 95%). |
| 2541 | 2026-08-04 08:40:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-04 13:40:41 | 95% | 43 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=1, rotten=1, tomatometer=50%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=1, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=43 reviews, 41 fresh, 2 rotten, tomatometer=95% (95.349%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (43 reviews, 95%). |
| 2513 | 2026-08-03 11:39:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-03 16:39:01 | 98% | 41 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=41 reviews, 40 fresh, 1 rotten, tomatometer=98% (97.561%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (41 reviews, 98%). |
| 2456 | 2026-08-01 08:24:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-01 13:24:13 | 98% | 40 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=40 reviews, 39 fresh, 1 rotten, tomatometer=98% (97.500%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (40 reviews, 98%). |
| 2437 | 2026-07-31 08:30:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-31 13:30:55 | 97% | 39 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=3, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=3, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=39 reviews, 38 fresh, 1 rotten, tomatometer=97% (97.436%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (39 reviews, 97%). |
| 2429 | 2026-07-30 13:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-30 18:33:55 | 97% | 36 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=1, rotten=1, tomatometer=50%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=1, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=36 reviews, 35 fresh, 1 rotten, tomatometer=97% (97.222%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (36 reviews, 97%). |
| 2399 | 2026-07-30 06:23:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-30 11:23:54 | 100% | 34 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 4 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=4, fresh=4, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=4, fresh=4, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=34 reviews, 34 fresh, 0 rotten, tomatometer=100% (100.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (34 reviews, 100%). |
| 2395 | 2026-07-29 15:35:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-29 20:35:10 | 100% | 30 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=3, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=3, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=30 reviews, 30 fresh, 0 rotten, tomatometer=100% (100.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (30 reviews, 100%). |
| 2391 | 2026-07-29 14:35:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-29 19:35:16 | 100% | 27 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=27 reviews, 27 fresh, 0 rotten, tomatometer=100% (100.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (27 reviews, 100%). |
| 2389 | 2026-07-29 14:05:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-29 19:05:17 | 100% | 26 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=26 reviews, 26 fresh, 0 rotten, tomatometer=100% (100.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (26 reviews, 100%). |
| 2387 | 2026-07-29 13:35:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-29 18:35:11 | 100% | 25 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 4 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=4, fresh=4, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=4, fresh=4, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=25 reviews, 25 fresh, 0 rotten, tomatometer=100% (100.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (25 reviews, 100%). |
| 2383 | 2026-07-29 12:08:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-29 17:08:51 | 100% | 21 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 21 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=21, fresh=21, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=21, fresh=21, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=21 reviews, 21 fresh, 0 rotten, tomatometer=100% (100.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (21 reviews, 100%). |
| ID | Critic | Outlet | Fresh? | Score | RT Time Raw | Approx Published UTC | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 244712 | Rua Fay | Cinemasters | Fresh | — | 2026-08-16T21:25:45.000Z | 2026-08-16 21:25:45 | as cozy as it is chaotic, as daring as it is devastating, and as new as it is nostalgic |
| 244713 | Tara McNamara | Common Sense Media | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-15T23:28:06.000Z | 2026-08-15 23:28:06 | Filmmaker Matt Johnson plays fast and loose with the details of the celebrity chef's story to create this sparkling yet sobering drama. |
| 244714 | Brian Viner | Daily Mail (UK) | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-14T23:34:52.000Z | 2026-08-14 23:34:52 | While perfectly watchable, and enjoyable in parts, it's rarely as compelling as it could have been. And certain narrative flaws leave, if not a sour taste exactly, a disappointingly bland one. |
| 244715 | Ben Kaye | Chicago Reader | Fresh | — | 2026-08-14T23:22:18.000Z | 2026-08-14 23:22:18 | Johnson succeeds in getting evocative performances from his ensemble, all within the confines of a narrative that may strike some as painfully familiar. |
| 244716 | Mark Kermode | Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube) | Rotten | — | 2026-08-14T22:25:37.000Z | 2026-08-14 22:25:37 | I thought it was an odd mix of ingredients. |
| 244717 | Liz Ruse | MovieJawn | Fresh | — | 2026-08-14T21:47:08.000Z | 2026-08-14 21:47:08 | Tony takes Bourdain’s story of finding his path and creates a film about growing up, which is a better tribute to a man whose whole career was spent encouraging people to explore and learn more about the world. |
| 244718 | Sarah Gorr | The Spool | Fresh | — | 2026-08-14T21:05:43.000Z | 2026-08-14 21:05:43 | Tony is a sparkling coming-of-age story about what happens when your ambitions, desires, and failings come crashing together at once. |
| 244719 | Dulcie Pearce | The Sun (UK) | Rotten | 2/5 | 2026-08-14T20:55:32.000Z | 2026-08-14 20:55:32 | With no real direction, this becomes more of a buddy movie than an insight into how the now sadly deceased great man became such a hit around the world. |
| 244720 | Saskia Baron | The Arts Desk | Rotten | 2/5 | 2026-08-14T18:57:08.000Z | 2026-08-14 18:57:08 | Ultimately Tony is a disappointment to admirers of Bourdain's writing and TV work. |
| 244721 | Tim Robey | Daily Telegraph (UK) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-14T18:25:41.000Z | 2026-08-14 18:25:41 | That Tony is so enjoyable, despite biting off so little, is down to a chef’s-kiss fusion of the ingredients at hand. It sticks to just one summer...long before he took the world by storm as the celebrated restaurateur and author of Kitchen Confidential. |
| 244722 | Tara Brady | Irish Times | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-14T18:21:09.000Z | 2026-08-14 18:21:09 | This is a fond, modest story about a future icon, enlivened by a muscular ensemble cast, Michael Bauman’s cinematography and Jay McCarroll’s music. The film is all the better for it. |
| 244723 | Chris Knight | National Post | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-14T17:04:23.000Z | 2026-08-14 17:04:23 | This is a movie that knows how to create flavour without overwhelming the viewer. |
| 244724 | Larushka Ivan-Zadeh | The Times (UK) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-14T16:59:58.000Z | 2026-08-14 16:59:58 | Only the redemption arc feels a little too pat, folding this chaotic mould-breaker rather too cleanly into a Hollywood mould. Still, this portrait of the artist as a young pot-washer is spicy, salty and just sweet enough. |
| 244725 | George Simpson | Daily Express (UK) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-14T16:57:10.000Z | 2026-08-14 16:57:10 | Aside from the humour and more emotional moments, the film masterfully plays with your perceptions of characters as you get to know them throughout the story. |
| 244726 | Steven Prokopy | Third Coast Review | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-08-14T16:29:52.000Z | 2026-08-14 16:29:52 | Although Tony shows a side to its subject that’s a little more outward facing and brash, we still see the early signs of the man who internalized so many of his experiences in an attempt to explain them to the world. |
| 244727 | Ruth Maramis | FlixChatter Film Blog | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-14T14:31:29.000Z | 2026-08-14 14:31:29 | An edgy, propulsive, and heartfelt tribute to Bourdain that also shows the power of mentorship. It refrains from sanitizing or glorifying the culinary legend, but embraces his humanity with unflinching honesty. |
| 244728 | Emma Simmonds | The List | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-14T13:27:20.000Z | 2026-08-14 13:27:20 | Matt Johnson revels entertainingly in the immaturity and anarchy, whilst discreetly building affection for this rebel without a cause. |
| 243241 | Julian Lytle | The Beat | Fresh | — | 2026-08-14T03:08:00.000Z | 2026-08-14 03:08:00 | It's a film that can pique the interest of those who might want to know more and those who are already huge fans of the man. |
| 243242 | Abe Beame | In Review Online | Fresh | — | 2026-08-14T00:05:24.000Z | 2026-08-14 00:05:24 | Matt Johnson himself that has come of age, pulling off one his most unlikely cinematic feats: proving he can follow an ancient, simple, lovely recipe. |
| 243243 | Andrew Parker | The Gate | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-08-13T22:17:00.000Z | 2026-08-13 22:17:00 | Tony feels like Johnson’s most mature work to date as a filmmaker, which is a fascinating paradox because it’s about someone who, at this point in their life, is patently immature. |
| 243244 | Richard Whittaker | Austin Chronicle | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-08-13T21:28:21.000Z | 2026-08-13 21:28:21 | Even if he does a lot of growing up across that one summer, he’s still recognizably himself, and that’s the very epitome of a meaningful biopic. |
| 243245 | Deborah Ross | The Spectator | Fresh | — | 2026-08-13T20:18:49.000Z | 2026-08-13 20:18:49 | It’s well directed (Matt Johnson) in that you get a sense of events unfolding organically, but it’s Sessa’s film. He brings a sadness and sensitivity to the part that will keep you on side even when Bourdain’s at his worst. |
| 243246 | Patrick McDonald | WBGR-FM (93.7 FM - Monroe, WI) | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-08-13T19:55:49.000Z | 2026-08-13 19:55:49 | I'm not as enthusiastic as others, but it was a good movie with decent performances and some moments. However, its sense of reality was off, it made a good fairy tale but gave no sense of the enigma that Bourdain was. The "tone" was weak. |
| 243247 | Danny Leigh | Financial Times | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-13T19:48:58.000Z | 2026-08-13 19:48:58 | With Tony, [Matt Johnson] makes a spry, enjoyable mainstream movie from a complicated brief. |
| 243248 | Thelma Adams | AARP Movies for Grownups | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-13T17:27:15.000Z | 2026-08-13 17:27:15 | I’m unsure if Sessa, best known from The Holdovers, captures Bourdain’s abundant sex appeal, but he does drive this late-summer movie, which brims with heart and slows down to illuminate -- and allow us to enjoy -- the moment a singular star was born. |
| 243249 | Michael Nordine | Movie Brief | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-13T17:25:49.000Z | 2026-08-13 17:25:49 | That Bourdain left the world the way he did continues to sting, but Tony is a poignant reminder that the last, most tragic chapter of his life is far from the only one worth remembering. |
| 243250 | Lisa Johnson Mandell | AtHomeInHollywood.com | Fresh | — | 2026-08-13T17:19:28.000Z | 2026-08-13 17:19:28 | Tony adroitly defies conventional biopic tropes and sumptuously captures the moment when Anthony Bourdain found his insatiable passion. |
| 243251 | Sucharita Tyagi | Sucharita Tyagi (YouTube) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-13T17:09:26.000Z | 2026-08-13 17:09:26 | The close-ups you won’t get are nimble fingers executing incredible chopping feats; this isn’t a film about a cook with magical, natural cooking expertise. |
| 243252 | Jack Martin | Film Feeder | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-13T12:23:09.000Z | 2026-08-13 12:23:09 | Like a lot of the late chef’s most signature dishes, it is a serious treat for the taste buds. |
| 243253 | Jeff York | The Establishing Shot | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-08-13T10:50:50.000Z | 2026-08-13 10:50:50 | Directed without fuss by Matt Johnson...the film goes down easy, even with a protagonist who often acts more like the antagonist. |
| 243254 | Brian Eggert | Deep Focus Review | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-13T03:27:15.000Z | 2026-08-13 03:27:15 | Johnson invests his audience in the film’s immediacy and distinct characters, to the point that we almost forget we’re watching "the Anthony Bourdain story." |
| 243255 | Nell Minow | Movie Mom | Fresh | B+ | 2026-08-12T20:54:36.000Z | 2026-08-12 20:54:36 | The film hits the usual notes of a three-act coming of age story and yet every minute is fresh and specific. |
| 243256 | Coleman Spilde | Salon.com | Rotten | — | 2026-08-12T20:54:21.000Z | 2026-08-12 20:54:21 | Johnson is so concerned with conforming to the auspicious, nostalgic idea of who Bourdain was that he makes his biopic far too safe. He reduces Bourdain to a zygote who simply needed enough nurturing to become his older, cooler self. |
| 243257 | Alistair Harkness | Scotsman | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-12T18:32:23.000Z | 2026-08-12 18:32:23 | What follows is immensely pleasurable to watch in places, and Johnson builds up to a surprisingly poignant ending. But it’s mostly a film about Bourdain falling in love with the drama and chaos of the kitchen. |
| 243258 | Andrew Osborne | culturevulture.net | Fresh | — | 2026-08-12T18:20:58.000Z | 2026-08-12 18:20:58 | Thankfully, in an era of toxic machismo, "Tony" is likewise self-aware enough to mock rather than celebrate its protagonist’s wannabe bad boy pretentions (even as Sessa keeps us rooting for his character). |
| 243259 | Chris Wasser | Irish Independent | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-12T18:18:43.000Z | 2026-08-12 18:18:43 | Not every biopic needs to cover everything. Tony scratches only the surface, but it does what it needs to, it never sags and, at just 106 minutes, it never outstays its welcome. |
| 243260 | Travis Hopson | Punch Drunk Critics | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-08-12T18:11:49.000Z | 2026-08-12 18:11:49 | Tony serves up a delicious and rewarding meal. |
| 243261 | Courtney Small | Exclaim! | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-08-12T15:21:08.000Z | 2026-08-12 15:21:08 | In removing the glossy sheen of likability, Johnson exposes the complex, and at times ugly, aspects that reside beneath the surface. |
| 243262 | Richard Crouse | Richard Crouse | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-12T12:49:28.000Z | 2026-08-12 12:49:28 | A coming-of-age story with a little Sex, Drugs and Oyster Shucking mixed in for good measure, Tony serve as both a reminder and eulogy of the fascinatingly confounding Anthony Bourdain. |
| 241422 | Kip Mooney | College Movie Review | Fresh | A- | 2026-08-12T04:37:41.000Z | 2026-08-12 04:37:41 | Johnson injects the film with humor and pathos, and gets great performances out of his actors. |
| 241423 | Rene Sanchez | Cine Sin Fronteras | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-12T01:30:25.000Z | 2026-08-12 01:30:25 | Sincere and irresistibly charming, Tony proves that life’s biggest lessons can come from the people and the places we least expect. [Full Review in Spanish] |
| 241424 | Odie Henderson | Boston Globe | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-11T21:17:39.000Z | 2026-08-11 21:17:39 | By depicting its subject as a flawed human being, "Tony" doesn’t fall into the expected hagiography that has doomed more than one "great man" biopic. |
| 241425 | Randy Myers | San Jose Mercury News | Fresh | 4/4 | 2026-08-11T18:46:41.000Z | 2026-08-11 18:46:41 | Tony feels as if it has come pippin’ hot out off the griddle; it’s the cinematic equivalent of a fiery flambé depicting a talented man’s coming-of-age odyssey as he goes on to discover that there is far more to a clambake than he ever thought possible. |
| 241426 | David Jenkins | Little White Lies | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-11T17:54:30.000Z | 2026-08-11 17:54:30 | Sessa sells the role and pulls no punches in transmitting what a clumsy, cringy loser Bourdain was back then. |
| 239216 | Matt Oakes | Silver Screen Riot | Fresh | A | 2026-08-11T11:50:10.000Z | 2026-08-11 11:50:10 | Rather than reducing Bourdain to a series of career milestones, Tony becomes a confidential character study about the nature of assuming an identity. One interested in understanding the uncertain young man still figuring out who he wanted to be and why. |
| 239217 | Jordan Bassett | NME (New Musical Express) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-11T11:38:15.000Z | 2026-08-11 11:38:15 | Matt Johnson’s mini biopic of the rock star chef hits the spot, though the macho atmosphere is a tad overdone |
| 239218 | Sean Burns | WBUR’s Arts & Culture | Fresh | — | 2026-08-11T11:36:43.000Z | 2026-08-11 11:36:43 | They’re cooking up comfort food, and ‘Tony’ delivers. |
| 238416 | Alci Rengifo | Entertainment Voice | Fresh | — | 2026-08-10T21:22:01.000Z | 2026-08-10 21:22:01 | We can never know what the real Anthony Bourdain would have said about it, but it is made by people who at least understand what made his story special and infectious. |
| 238417 | Josh Larsen | LarsenOnFilm | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-10T20:24:31.000Z | 2026-08-10 20:24:31 | Sessa gives you the sense that he could not care less about the likability of his character. |
| 238418 | Beth Accomando | Vanguard Culture | Fresh | — | 2026-08-10T19:10:19.000Z | 2026-08-10 19:10:19 | The result is a compelling, often entertaining collage that captures a pivotal moment in Bourdain’s life with verve and energy but not great depth. |
| 238419 | Justin Chang | The New Yorker | Fresh | — | 2026-08-10T18:28:48.000Z | 2026-08-10 18:28:48 | It’s a youthful romance, a goofball gross-out, and a “Karate Kid” fable rolled into one. You might get so caught up in the comedy, familiar beats and all, that you forget you’re watching a bio-pic. |
| 238420 | Richard Brody | The New Yorker | Fresh | — | 2026-08-10T18:26:36.000Z | 2026-08-10 18:26:36 | If the movie plays like a just-so story, it also movingly suggests the caprices of chance in every seeming destiny. |
| 237280 | Jim Slotek | Original Cin | Fresh | B+ | 2026-08-10T12:07:46.000Z | 2026-08-10 12:07:46 | it's confined to a mid-'70s summer, when Bourdain was a teen troublemaker and adept, self-serving liar. With that raw material, Matt Johnson delivers a movie that often evokes Animal House in a crab shack kitchen. A funny and ultimately touching watch. |
| 236766 | Eric Goldman | Eric Goldman (YouTube) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-09T14:45:55.000Z | 2026-08-09 14:45:55 | If you didn't know going in the significance of Anthony Bourdain, you would see this as just a small scale coming of age movie, but that is part of its charm. |
| 236743 | Marya E. Gates | Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-08T23:31:03.000Z | 2026-08-08 23:31:03 | Ultimately, I had fun with this film. . .[but] I think perhaps beyond what he shared with us himself, we should just let Anthony Bourdain remain unknowable. |
| 236722 | Ridge Harripersad | CGMagazine | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-08-08T09:21:57.000Z | 2026-08-08 09:21:57 | So, who is Tony for? This is a film intended for those who are curious about Anthony Bourdain’s true culinary origins, but it can also be for those who enjoy complex coming-of-age stories. |
| 238421 | Tim Cogshell | Alt Film Guide | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-07T23:03:20.000Z | 2026-08-07 23:03:20 | Matt Johnson’s dramedy about one summer in the life of the adolescent Anthony Bourdain offers a compelling portrait of an ‘ordinary’ life and a boy called Tony. |
| 236606 | Tim Cogshell | FilmWeek (LAist) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T23:03:20.000Z | 2026-08-07 23:03:20 | Wonderful... Antonio Banderas is really the best thing in this movie. |
| 236607 | Tim Stevens | The Spool | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T22:21:28.000Z | 2026-08-07 22:21:28 | [W]hat is unabashedly real about Tony is how carefully and thoughtfully it explores some of the most important themes and things in Bourdain’s life: food, people, and the world we live in. |
| 236767 | Don Shanahan | Film Obsessive | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-07T21:40:38.000Z | 2026-08-07 21:40:38 | "Tony" asks you to endure this portrait of a downright cad with the patience that even the worst traits of a person can be channeled—though never fully reversed—when the right life experiences can inspire a true trailblazer. |
| 236609 | Rich Cline | Shadows on the Wall | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-07T21:15:19.000Z | 2026-08-07 21:15:19 | Director Matt Johnson grounds the story beautifully in earthy settings and realistically messy characters who are likeable even when they're awful. |
| 236610 | Alison Willmore | New York Magazine/Vulture | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T20:56:04.000Z | 2026-08-07 20:56:04 | It ends, satisfyingly, with him planting both feet on the ground. |
| 236611 | Pete Hammond | Deadline Hollywood Daily | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T20:55:00.000Z | 2026-08-07 20:55:00 | In the end, this film leaves us with hope. Someone else can make a darker biopic I suppose, but for now there is joy just getting to know "Tony." |
| 236612 | John Powers | NPR | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T20:54:10.000Z | 2026-08-07 20:54:10 | Perhaps the highest praise I can offer is that it doesn't depend on Bourdain's fame to keep us interested. I would have enjoyed this movie even if its hero didn't have TV shows that play on every airline in the world. |
| 236613 | David Sims | The Atlantic | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T20:53:32.000Z | 2026-08-07 20:53:32 | Although Tony is a necessarily minor piece of storytelling, it feels deceptively major nevertheless -- and is infused with just enough of its subject’s real-world charisma. |
| 236614 | Peter Travers | The Travers Take | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-08-07T20:21:16.000Z | 2026-08-07 20:21:16 | A riveting, rambunctious portrait of Anthony Bourdain (a sensational Dominic Sessa) as a young pain in the ass before he started inventing himself as the rock-star king of the culinary world. |
| 236615 | Kyle Smith | Wall Street Journal | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T19:37:17.000Z | 2026-08-07 19:37:17 | The unshowy dedication to craft is a marvel, and so is much else in this crystalline little film. It’s the most exhilarating experience I’ve had at the movies this year. |
| 236616 | Stephanie Zacharek | TIME Magazine | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T19:01:05.000Z | 2026-08-07 19:01:05 | Johnson shapes this material with both breeziness and a kind of tough-love compassion, and the track list he’s assembled summons the spirit of 1975 like a ghost. |
| 236617 | Peter Howell | Night Vision | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-07T18:30:14.000Z | 2026-08-07 18:30:14 | Kudos to Johnson, though, for not going full Hollywood with his first Hollywood cast. He’s still fascinated by lively rebels, and, with Anthony Bourdain, he found the perfect subject. |
| 236618 | M.N. Miller | InSession Film | Fresh | B+ | 2026-08-07T17:04:20.000Z | 2026-08-07 17:04:20 | Tony equates ambition and intellectual curiosity with a desire to taste, experience, and understand everything life has to offer, which is wildly entertaining and, quite literally, a thoughtful chef’s kiss. |
| 236619 | Alan Zilberman | Spectrum Culture | Fresh | 3.75/5 | 2026-08-07T15:22:09.000Z | 2026-08-07 15:22:09 | This coming of age story does not hew to the contours of biography. It instead opts for a familiar arc that uses its tropes as an asset, not a distraction. |
| 236620 | Todd Jorgenson | Cinemalogue | Fresh | — | 2026-08-07T15:13:17.000Z | 2026-08-07 15:13:17 | The tart yet tender comedy provides some insight for Bourdain fans to connect the dots. But you don’t need to be familiar with his life and career to appreciate this crowd-pleasing origin story. |
| 236621 | Scott Tobias | The Reveal | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-07T13:06:54.000Z | 2026-08-07 13:06:54 | Memories of Bourdain as a public figure are not included in Matt Johnson’s evocative and often hilarious coming-of-age story, but they’re like the hidden ingredient that enhances and completes a dish. |
| 236622 | Josh Bell | Tom's Guide | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-07T11:12:08.000Z | 2026-08-07 11:12:08 | Even in its cheesiest moments, Tony remains grounded, thanks to its earthy performances and warm, sun-dappled visual style. |
| 236623 | Bradley Gibson | Film Threat | Fresh | 9/10 | 2026-08-07T00:18:23.000Z | 2026-08-07 00:18:23 | Johnson has given us the prequel to a life. This is Anthony Bourdain choosing life and the world, finding his place in it through hard lessons, wild times, and good people he learned from in those early days. |
| 236624 | Jeannette Catsoulis | New York Times | Fresh | — | 2026-08-06T23:57:34.000Z | 2026-08-06 23:57:34 | The story is slight, but by concentrating on this crucial sliver of a teeming life, Johnson gets at something deeper and more universal than a wider focus might have allowed. |
| 236625 | David Fear | Rolling Stone | Rotten | — | 2026-08-06T23:13:26.000Z | 2026-08-06 23:13:26 | The combo of Johnson’s need to turn an individual’s tale into something doggedly universal, with a purposeful lack of affection for the subject, makes you wonder why they bothered making it. |
| 236626 | Linda and Al Lerner | Movies and Shakers | Fresh | — | 2026-08-06T21:15:59.000Z | 2026-08-06 21:15:59 | An uneasy yet riveting watch. In this fictionalized exploration of young Anthony Bourdain, Dominic Sessa captures the exhausting, irascible, unlikable narcissist personality of the late acclaimed chef and TV personality. |
| 236627 | Frank Swietek | One Guy's Opinion | Fresh | B+ | 2026-08-06T19:40:49.000Z | 2026-08-06 19:40:49 | A Hollywood Bildungsroman of the finest old-fashioned sort...a movie set in the mid-1970s that actually feels as though it might have been made then, which, it turns out, is a good thing. |
| 232310 | Peter Sobczynski | Auteurist Class (Substack) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-06T15:14:31.000Z | 2026-08-06 15:14:31 | Tony is worth seeing in the end, I suppose, but as cinematic meals go, it is one that still leaves you feeling a little hungry when it is all over. |
| 232293 | Mark Dujsik | Mark Reviews Movies | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-06T14:00:40.000Z | 2026-08-06 14:00:40 | Tony ... probably would have been just as compelling if it had been about some random or fictional guy instead of a famous one. |
| 232260 | Amy Nicholson | Los Angeles Times | Fresh | — | 2026-08-06T12:48:27.000Z | 2026-08-06 12:48:27 | The kitchen scenes are a combo platter of boot camp, frat house hazing ritual and kung fu movie. As Bourdain would later explain, he thrived in a setting where actions have instant consequences: a sore back, a sliced hand, a good meal. |
| 232261 | Leo Brady | AMovieGuy.com | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-08-06T04:35:59.000Z | 2026-08-06 04:35:59 | Tony is a delightfully charming and bittersweet portrait of someone whose life would eventually become larger than he ever imagined. |
| 232262 | Robert Denerstein | Denerstein Unleashed | Fresh | — | 2026-08-05T22:35:15.000Z | 2026-08-05 22:35:15 | Some of the dramatic license Johnson takes bothered me, but I went along for the ride. I appreciated the movie’s willingness to spice up the coming-of-age formula. |
| 232263 | Edward Douglas | The Weekend Warrior (Substack) | Fresh | 9/10 | 2026-08-05T20:21:31.000Z | 2026-08-05 20:21:31 | Tony thrives on how well the renowned television figure is depicted by Sessa, and how the story is told in such a warm and appealing way despite Bourdain’s rougher edges. |
| 232264 | Scott Mendelson | The Outside Scoop (Substack) | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-08-05T18:20:24.000Z | 2026-08-05 18:20:24 | Matt Johnson’s compelling, visually scrumptious and superbly acted picture is a thoughtful coming-of-age drama that just happens to be a "prequel origin story" focused on Anthony Bourdain. |
| 224457 | Brian Orndorf | Blu-ray.com | Fresh | B+ | 2026-08-05T17:39:37.000Z | 2026-08-05 17:39:37 | Johnson ups his game with "Tony," smoothly transitioning into more serious filmmaking, but he hasn’t lost his spirit, and his version of the Bourdain experience certainly helps to understand the subject in a new light. |
| 224417 | Nina Starner | Looper.com | Fresh | 6/10 | 2026-08-05T15:13:44.000Z | 2026-08-05 15:13:44 | Though the kitchen scenes in Tony are the only fun ones ... the film doesn't do a particularly great job of selling you on the idea that this version of Bourdain actually loved food, which he did. |
| 224398 | Linda Marric | HeyUGuys | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-05T11:20:04.000Z | 2026-08-05 11:20:04 | Tony works as both a fond tribute and a sharp coming-of-age drama. |
| 224390 | Tony Bravo | San Francisco Chronicle | Fresh | 4/4 | 2026-08-04T23:13:03.000Z | 2026-08-04 23:13:03 | Thankfully, the performances are as finely honed as the script. As young Bourdain, Sessa embodies the future food star in his physicality. |
| 224388 | Carla Hay | Culture Mix | Fresh | — | 2026-08-04T22:12:13.000Z | 2026-08-04 22:12:13 | As a biopic, Tony takes a low-key but still-compelling approach to one summer in the life of 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain. The cast, led by a magnetic Dominic Sessa as Bourdain, is top-notch. |
| 222334 | Mark Kennedy | Associated Press | Rotten | 2/4 | 2026-08-04T18:58:08.000Z | 2026-08-04 18:58:08 | Focusing on a slice of time from a cultural icon is a now-savvy alternative to the cradle-to-grave biopic. But “Tony” fails as an origin story. The cook is off. |
| 222335 | Kenneth R. Morefield | 1More Film Blog | Fresh | 2.5/4 | 2026-08-04T18:57:18.000Z | 2026-08-04 18:57:18 | I admired Tony the movie even if I found it very difficult to root for Tony the human being. |
| 222331 | Roberto Tyler Ortiz | Geek Vibes Nation | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-08-04T17:08:55.000Z | 2026-08-04 17:08:55 | Tony is a terrific film. One that should be remembered for ages to come |
| 220747 | Avi Offer | NYC Movie Guru | Fresh | — | 2026-08-04T03:02:15.000Z | 2026-08-04 03:02:15 | A captivating, heartfelt and funny coming-of-age drama. Dominic Sessa gives a warm, tender and Oscar-worthy performance. |
| 220748 | Amanda Jesuca | Geek Girl Riot / RIOTUS | Rotten | C+ | 2026-08-04T01:17:09.000Z | 2026-08-04 01:17:09 | If you admire Anthony Bourdain’s boisterous way of getting you to take "just one bite," or if his sentimentality caused you to be more vulnerable with strangers, it would be best to keep your Bourdain fantasies intact and skip watching this abstraction. |
| 214003 | Brian Tallerico | RogerEbert.com | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-08-03T14:48:20.000Z | 2026-08-03 14:48:20 | Sessa is up to the task of finding both the deep uncertainty and brash confidence in this complex young man, sometimes in the same beat. |
| 207347 | Trevor Leavell | Pop Culture Leftovers | Fresh | — | 2026-08-01T02:38:56.000Z | 2026-08-01 02:38:56 | While Tony does have its moments of chaos and tension, Johnson delivers a remarkably warm and tender film that feels very fresh and singular while never sacrificing any of Johnson’s more notable formal quirks. |
| 207296 | Patrick Beatty | See It or Skip It | Fresh | — | 2026-07-31T03:46:16.000Z | 2026-07-31 03:46:16 | Tony is a coming-of-age story that anyone can connect with. |
| 207297 | Marshall Shaffer | The Playlist | Fresh | B+ | 2026-07-31T03:40:12.000Z | 2026-07-31 03:40:12 | A typical coming-of-age film tends to prioritize the product over the process of transformation. "Tony," however, allows the audience to luxuriate in the people and places that its subject loved best. |
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