After losing his beloved mother, a man risks everything to honor her by opening an Italian restaurant with actual grandmothers as the chefs.
Chuck says:
You’d be well served to have a pot of spaghetti, a pan of lasagna or a tray of cannoli close at hand while watching Stephen Chbosky’s “Nonnas,” a tribute to Italian food, family and tradition. Likely, what you have won’t be nearly as tasty as what you see on screen, but it’ll fill the constantly growing cravings you’ll have as the film progresses. Based on the founding of Staten Island’s renowned restaurant Enoteca Maria, the film is much more than food porn as it eventually reveals itself to be a remembrance of a way of life that’s on the verge of extinction.
A lovingly rendered prologue finds young New Yorker Joe Scaravella (Theodore Helm) picking up bread and cookies from the neighborhood bakery, returning home to see his mother and grandmother or “nonna,” prepare the weekly family meal. A sense of comfort, warmth and security wafts from the kitchen, the memory of which Scaravella (now Vince Vaughn) recalls at his mother’s funeral.
Left $200,000, Scaravella decides to honor his grandmother and mother by opening a restaurant, albeit one with an intriguing gimmick. He wants to feature traditional Italian dishes, but wants them prepared by various nonnas, knowing they bring an instinctual approach to cooking that can’t be duplicated. He approaches family friends Roberta (Lorriane Bracco) and Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro) and finds Teresa (Talia Shire) after posting a Want Ad on Craigslist. With these three in the kitchen, Gia (Susan Sarandon), a local beautician who loves to bake, is brought in to handle the dessert menu.
However, once they open, after having renovated a long-closed eatery, success is hard to come by. Resistance from those in the neighborhood where Scaravella has set up shop keep people away, while a lack of reviews and word-of-mouth undercut their efforts as well.
The interactions between the four cooks provides the movie with its heart. Roberta and Antonella’s prickly exteriors are countered nicely by Teresa’ timidity, while the trio don’t what to make of Gia’s brazen sexuality. Their bickering ultimately gives way to a heart-to-heart between the quartet – the highlight of the movie – in which each reveals a hidden aspect from their respective pasts. The four veteran actresses bring a subtle poignancy to the scene that resonates throughouts the rest of the film, giving it substance and meaning.
As his career has progressed, Vaughn has learned that less is more, resulting in his giving more meaningful performances. He’s quite good here, quiet rather than boisterous, introspective instead of demonstrative, bringing a sense of dignity to Scaravella that’s appealing and appropriate. He’s ably supported by Linda Cardellini as Olivia, Scaravella’s former high school flame he’s hoping to win back. Her low-key approach and natural charm compliment Vaughn nicely, while Joe Manganiello and Drea de Matteo as our hero’s closest friends round out this strong cast.
More than anything, “Nonnas” underscores the importance of community that’s fostered around the dinner table. Today’s hectic schedules have made having nightly family meals a near impossible feat. The value of sharing, camaraderie and love that occurs during this seemingly innocuous activity can’t be overstated, this ritual creating a bond of caring and security that’s invaluable. This is driven home again and again, the act of preparing food and feeding someone seen as an act of love that’s irreplaceable.
And while those at Enoteca Maria may not be your actual nonna, they go out of their way to make you feel as if you’re family. Interacting with patrons as well as feeding them, the restaurant, which has diversified to include nonnas from other cultures, is an oasis intent on keeping alive all that we’ve lost regarding the connection between family and food. “Nonnas” is a loving tribute to their efforts, a wakeup call for us all to keep these traditions alive in our own small way.
3 1/2 Stars
