…but Matt Johnson‘s Tony gave me pause.
HE is definitely holding a minority opinion as far as Tony is concerned, and certainly regarding the casting of two major roles. The titular character of Anthony Bourdain at age 19, unattractively portrayed as an egoistic, weasel-eyed sociopath by Dominic Sessa, is one. The other is a loutish kitchen worker and sexual conquistador named Sal, played by the 29-year-old Leo Woodall.
I’ve explained the Sessa issue in my New York Sun review (published earlier today), but I’ve said nothing about Woodall. It basically boils down to the fact that Woodall isn’t wearing ’70s hair. In the summer of ’79, which is when the film takes place, pretty much every dude living in the western hemisphere was wearing longish hair with healthy sideburns. (I was there so don’t tell me.) But not Woodall! Sal’s hair is closely cropped on the sides and almost whitewalled, and it’s obvious that Johnson, in this instance at least, didn’t care about follical authenticity. Which is a second-rate way to go.
Before posting the bulk of my review, I should make it clear that Johnson has mistitled his film. Tony sounds overly passive, lacks intrigue and assertion. Johnson should have called it Dumb Lying Hostile Ayehole. For Sessa’s Bourdain is a sullen, self-deluding jerk from the get-go.
If you ask me the 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain was more or less the same guy that he became in the 21st century. His younger version simply lacked the usual maturation ingredients. Same with me — the guy I am today was fully present when i was 19, but he wasn’t as calm, patient or refined. I am telling you that Sessa bears no resemblance whatsoever to the Bourdain that I’ve known for the last quarter-century or so.
And don’t get me started on the almost seduction scene with Emilia Jones‘ Nancy.
Remember how in One-Eyed Jacks Marlon Brando’s Rio makes love to Pina Pellicer on the beach, and then he tells her the next morning that he’s been lying and was more or less using her? It wouldn’t have been interesting if Rio had spilled the beans before they’d made love.
Ditto Paul Giamatti’s Miles in Alexander Payne’s Sideways. His dreams are answered when he finally fucks Virginia Madsen‘s radiant Maya and then, while lying around the following day, he absentmindedly mentions Jack’s wedding rehearsal. Miles tells her he was about to confess the truth earlier about Jack, and Madsen, appalled and furious, says “but you wanted to fuck me first.” Miles is unable to refute this.
This is male behavior. Ask any dude the world over. You seal the deal and then you spill the beans.