Too often, biographical films about famous figures fall into the same tired tropes. With vanishingly few exceptions, these movies tend to offer either cradle to grave, hagiographic overviews of their subject's life or contrived origin stories explaining how their most recognisable works and traits came to be.
Instead, save for a couple of scenes, this picture sidesteps those aforementioned clichés and delivers a hugely rewarding coming-of-age tale (or bildungsroman, to directly reference the film itself) that would be no less worthwhile even if you had no idea of its ties to Bourdain's story.
Aspiring writer Tony (Dominic Sessa) – who envisages himself as a mixture of Jack Kerouac and George Orwell – has travelled there to chase the attentions of his high school crush Nancy (Emilia Jones), after lying to both her and his own parents about being selected for a prestigious fellowship.
It's in the kitchen of this seaside establishment where Tony finds himself moulded both by his experiences with raucous colleagues – including the unpredictable Sal (Leo Woodall) – and the quiet mentorship of Chef, provided with valuable life lessons that will stay with him for far longer than that short summer.
The supporting performances are also excellent across the board, with Woodall stealing the show in an electric turn as Sal, whose magnetic, boisterous charisma perhaps isn't always the best influence for the impressionable Tony, even if he helps bring him out of his shell. As Chef, Banderas offers a gentler counterpoint to the brashness of the other kitchen staff, and it's this relationship that ends up serving as the film's tender heart, leading to some emotional moments that feel heartfelt but never cheesy.
View oEmbed on the source websiteThe kitchen scenes will no doubt remind many viewers of recently concluded TV hit The Bear, carrying with them the same intensity and authenticity of that show and showcasing the (sometimes hot-headed) camaraderie between the staff that feels unique to working in a small, busy kitchen. Meanwhile, there's also a great original score by Johnson's regular collaborator Jay McCarrol, bolstered by a stellar soundtrack that includes '70s hits from the likes of Jonathan Richman and Karen Dalton.
It all adds up to a moving, charming, well-performed summer film told with an commendably light touch – a far cry from a more traditional biographical film about Bourdain's life and career that might have been.
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