NONNAS

(director: Stephen Chbosky; screenwriter: Liz Maccie/inspired by the life story of Jody Scaravella; cinematographer: Florian Ballhaus; editor: Anne McCabe; music: Marcelo Zarvos; cast: Vince Vaughn (Joe Scaravella), Lorraine Bracco (Roberta), Talia Shire (Teresa), Brenda Vaccarro (Antonella), Susan Sarandon (Gia), Linda Cardellini (Olivia), Joe Manganiello (Bruno), Karen Giordano (Nonna); Run time: 111; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Rachel Shane, Jack Turner, Gigi Pritzker; Netflix; 2025)

“It’s a likeable feel-good film that’s sentimental and tender.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Writer/director Stephen Chbosky (“Dear Evan Hansen”/”Wonder”) helms a tasty Italian restaurant dramedy inspired by Jody Scaravella the real owner of the Enoteca Maria restaurant. Nonnas is Italian for grandmothers. Chbosky’s wife Liz Maccie is the screenwriter.

Joe (Vince Vaughn) has recently lost his granny and his mother. He uses the money he inherited from mom’s life insurance to start a restaurant in Staten Island. He hires his mother’s elderly Italian friends as cooks-Roberta (Lorraine Bracco), who is living in a retirement home and, the former hairdresser as the pastry baker, Gia (Susan Sarandon). He adds other nonna types who are hired through ads on Craiglist, Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro) and the ex nun Teresa (Talia Shire). Also becoming part of the restaurant is his long ago romantic interest Olivia (Linda Cardellini), working as a lawyer.

The restaurant named after his mom, uses family recipes. It’s a low-key story about Joe relating to the grannies, the cooks bickering over the pasta sauces and flashbacks of Joe growing up with an appreciation for his mom’s food.

It’s a likeable feel-good film that’s sentimental and tender. Though it could have done more foodie things, it nevertheless shows the amateur cooks care about the food they prepare and make us care about them.

REVIEWED ON 5/26/2025  GRADE: B-
dennisschwartzreviews.com