Two Films Explore the Rocky Road to Literary Stardom: 'Tony' and 'Late Fame'

The New Yorker reviews two biographical dramas about writers: 'Tony' and 'Late Fame'. 'Tony', directed by Matt Johnson, follows a young Anthony Bourdain during a summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1975, where he works at a seafood restaurant and discovers his passion for cooking. The film, loosely based on Bourdain's memoir 'Kitchen Confidential', stars Dominic Sessa as Bourdain, with Antonio Banderas as an unnamed chef. 'Late Fame', directed by Kent Jones, is adapted from an 1895 Arthur Schnitzler novella and stars Willem Dafoe as Ed Saxberger, an aging poet rediscovered by a young admirer, played by Edmund Donovan. The film, written by Samy Burch, also features Greta Lee as Gloria. Both films explore themes of literary ambition, identity, and the complexities of fame. 'Tony' is noted for its coming-of-age tropes and comedic tone, while 'Late Fame' is praised for its wry satire and Dafoe's performance. The review highlights the contrast between the two films' approaches to the writer's life.