By now, nearly three decades removed from his breakout success in, “Swingers, ” it shouldn’t be at all difficult to predict what’s on deck for the next Vince Vaughn performance: charming, snarky, and with just the right amount of word vomit masquerading as sarcasm that’s seen the actor build a foundation that is his ongoing career. Sure, the unexpected may manifest in the form of a “Hacksaw Ridge“, “Into the Wild” or “Brawl in Cell Block 99, ” but in a textbook definition of reliability, Vaughn’s arc always seems to shift back to its point of origin, with his most recent small-screen effort, “Bad Monkey, ” a perfect example of Vaughn in his natural element. With such a background taking occupancy in Vaughn’s rearview mirror, where exactly does his latest, “Nonnas, ” fit in?
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Based on a true story, “Nonnas” begins with a flashback ripe with some truly awkward, borderline horrendous line delivery as it shows young Joe Scaravella (Theodore Helm), going about his day as he gathers various items from a nearby market in an effort to help his mother and Italian grandmother/nonna in the kitchen. With a deep reverence clearly visible as he gazes upon these women in their undeniable happy place, preparing a massive Italian meal for the assembled family, it’s no wonder that his mother’s passing decades later leaves a profound effect on the now-adult Joe (Vaughn). As he attempts to resume normality through his day job as a mechanic, with support from his childhood best friend Bruno (Joe Manganiello) and Bruno’s wife Stella (Drea de Matteo), a few home-cooked meals, alongside a substantial life insurance payout and a motivational word or two from the couple, are all that Joe needs to determine his next move: open an Italian restaurant. The gimmick, however, involves those in the kitchen, with all meals to be prepared by grandmothers of genuine Italian ancestry; if they themselves spent the majority of their life in the old country before immigrating, bringing with them scores of recipes ripe for the picking, even better.
Joe’s ultimate goal, as he himself mentions to anyone within earshot, extends beyond the menu, with a deep desire to conjure up that familial sensation within the walls of wherever his new venture will soon call home, in this case, the repurposed remains of a beloved Staten Island-based eatery many in the local neighborhood held in high regard before the owner passed away. An outsider like Joe, invading their turf? Seeing him discard the fading sign from the previous restaurant doesn’t sit well with those who witness the act, perfectly teeing up a bit of sabotage as the third act begins. Why aren’t there any customers from opening day onward? We might have an idea as to why.
That said, it’s the nonnas who live up to the film’s title that seem to be doing their best to steal the show, or at minimum do what could be considered passable acting, with a murderer’s row of Italian actress royalty occupying these roles; there’s Roberta (Lorraine Bracco), full of stereotypical Italian sass matched only by Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro), another local and companion to Olivia (Linda Cardellini), who just so happens to have been an old flame of Joe’s that was unceremoniously ditched on prom night decades earlier. Talia Shire‘s here as Teresa, a former nun with her own culinary talents and a past she seems bent on putting behind her, while Queen of Nearly Every Film Susan Sarandon joins the staff as Gia, a hairdresser with a knack for desserts. Personalities will inevitably clash, but will that make for something delicious?
It’s not hard to imagine how things will soon play out, from the various quarrels as the women try to come together, the disastrous first night, and the soliciting of restaurant reviewers, with Bruno popping in from time to time as both the contractor in charge of the initial remodel as well as periodic advice-giver; through it all, Vaughn’s performance remains consistently understated, with a scant quip or two escaping his mouth and his signature laugh completely absent. It’s hard to tell what he’s attempting, or even if it works with a film surrounding him enveloped in stabs at earnestness and sentimental slop. Don’t be surprised to hear the same Italian songs play multiple times throughout, all extracted from the public domain, and for a movie revolving around food, surprisingly little of it makes its way to center stage, unlike Vaughn’s longtime “Swingers” comrade Jon Favreau, who himself helmed his own restaurant-focused jaunt in 2014’s “Chef, ” with this predecessor hitting many of the same beats while succeeding in just as many ways due largely to Favreau’s natural charisma and dedication of the entire ensemble cast. Oh, and if the latter doesn’t make you crave a Cubano, it’s clearly failed in its mission.
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If ever there existed a checklist of Food Movie Must-Dos, “Nonnas” tries to accomplish each, even down to that signature campfire-esque moment between the four nonnas as they bond over backroom drinks following a night on the town, and while no one can fault director Stephen Chbosky from trying to nail it all, nothing beyond that exists to render this particular story as anything other than average. True story be damned, with Vince Vaughn squarely taking his place in the middle of the road, a few tantalizing shots of cannolis would be nice. [C+]
