“Nonnas” is a heaping helping of cinematic Italian-American comfort food, a family rom-com where the romance is in the food and the comedy is in the scrappy little old ladies who prepare it.
Director Stephen Chbosky (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”) serves up Vince Vaughn at his most sentimental in a Staten Island story of an eatery opened with the idea of keeping the memories of dead loved ones alive through the dishes they brought over from the Old Country.
The “Nonnas” (grannies) of the title are played by the likes of Lorraine Bracco (“Goodfellas”), Talia Shire (“The Godfather,” “Rocky”), Oscar winner Susan Sarandon and Brenda Vaccaro, who dates back to “Midnight Cowboy.” As the cooks recruited by Joe Scaravella (Vaughn) to make the dishes at Enoteca Maria, a restaurant he opens with the inheritance from his beloved mother, this quartet shows us how old school “chemistry” was supposed to work in “80 for Brady,” “The Book Club” and other comedies about groups of ladies of a certain age.
They set the tone for a movie that, like their performances, doesn’t try too hard. “Nonnas” may be predicable and sentimental right up to the edge of schmaltzy. But it never crosses that line because the fractious foursome at the heart of it won’t allow it.
Scenes from the ’70s establish childhood Joe’s attachment to his mother and grandmother, the sort of boy who’d rather hang in the kitchen and watch the magic in action at big family gatherings.
Joe may have grown up to work as a bus mechanic for New York’s MTA, sentenced to doting-son singlehood for reasons we can speculate about. But his heart and his palate belonged to mama. When she dies, he takes the words of his lifelong bestie Bruno (Joe Manganiello) Bruno’s wife Stella (Drea de Matteo) to heart.
“Find something that makes you really happy, that honors her.”
A restaurant was NOT what contractor Bruno had in mind. But Joe spies an abandoned one on Staten Island, home to a colorful Italian street market. And he remembers what his own Nonna said.
“One does not grow old at the table.”
He dives in, out of his depth, with no sane business plan. He recruits nonnas to be cooks by posting an ad “in the List of Craig” (this story has an early 2000s setting). His aunt in assisted living, Roberta (Bracco) will be his fiery Sicilian anchor-cook. Antonella (Vaccaro), the elderly neighbor of Joe’s onetime prom date (Linda Cardellini) is the Bolognese balance to Roberta’s fire. And Teresa (Shire), former cook at a convent, is here to keep the peace.
Who’s on desserts? That would be Mom’s hairdresser/bestie, Gia (Sarandon), who makes cannoli to die for.
The Italian dishes served here are generally more obscure than your standard Italian-American restaurant fare. Risotto Aranchini, zepolle, parmigiano reggiono and capuzzelle are cooked, burnt and debated by the cooks and the restaurateur, who is moved to the edge of tears by the many variations of “gravy” (red sauce) these aged spitfires serve up.
“Don’t cry in front of the teamsters,” is pal Bruno’s advice, as the grand opening of Enoteca Maria (Maria’s Wine Bar) approaches, with a minefield of obstacles — inspections, etc. — facing it.
One of the most charming things about Chbosky’s direction and Liz Maccie’s script is the “Big Night” notion that the story doesn’t need for the restaurant to open and become a wish-fulfillment fantasy smash for “Nonnas” to work. The stumbling, good-hearted attempt, the collision of personalities and the many fish-out-of-water obstacles point to bankruptcy being just as entertaining as a Michelin star finale.
Keep an eye out for the most conspicuous extra in the dining scenes, the older guy with the long, white and unruly hair. That’s Jody Scaravella, whose story inspired the film.
As for other inspirations, look for a co-director and co-star of the classic New York Italian eatery period piece “Big Night” in a chewy cameo.
There’s a slice of many a “food means family” dramedy tucked into this script, from “Big Night” to “The Feast of the Seven Fishes” to “Chef” (starring Vaughn’s old running mate, Jon Favreau) on down through the many courses the Hallmark Channel has served up in the genre.
But the “Nonnas” are the stars and the hook that makes this one work.
Vaughn, dialing down the wise-cracking hipster that became his brand, makes a terrific reactor — to the four “nonnas,” to Mangeniello’s Bruno and Bruno’s “Sopranos” alumna wife — taking every body blow to his character’s dream personally.
Vince Vaughn goes sentimental and makes it all go down easily. Go figure.
Rating: PG
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro, Talia Shire, Drea de Matteo, Linda Cardellini, Michael Rispoli, Joe Manganiello and Susan Sarandon.
Credits: Directed by Stephen Chbosky, scripted by Liz Maccie. A Netflix release.
Running time: 1:54.
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