ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN [REVIEW] @TRIBECA 2021

It has been three years since Anthony Bourdain took his own life. Everyone who was a fan of the celebrity chef, TV star, media mogul, restauranteur is still looking for answers to why he did it. Maybe we will never get the right answer, but his journey of success is like no other. Director Morgan Neville directs Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain pieces this all together. With never been seen before footage and photos of the man who brought change to the world. Recently premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, the biopic gives you the joys about a man who seized every opportunity. As well as the chills because Anthony Bourdain continued to run on a soul that finally ran empty.

Anthony Bourdain was a chef who could not pay his bills on time and a drug and alcohol addict. He openly wrote Kitchen Confidential admitting to all his vices while running restaurants in New York. He brought truth to what was seen to be a glamorous lifestyle. In this memoir, he told you what type of people are preparing and cooking your food. When you should order the fish special and how you should prepare garlic are amongst the items he shared with the world. It took the world by storm and immediately overnight the book became A New York Times Bestseller. The world embraced a man who was the antidote of celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Emeril. Anthony Bourdain became the real deal.

Producers Christopher Collins and Lydia Tenaglia immediately jumped on this high wave of Bourdain’s. They convinced him to do a show which would see him travel the world to exotic places and try the food. This would not be your average tour guide show but one that would have the imprint of Bourdain’s vision. Parts Unknown would run for twelve seasons and 104 episodes from 2013-2018 on CNN. Along the way, it picked up Emmy awards and becoming the primary series that Anthony Bourdain was known for. Furthermore, the show that would truly reflect the highest of his success along with the last chapters of his life.

Both Collins and Tenaglia at first when filming did not think that their show was going to fly. It took Bourdain some time to get into the swing of things. The process at first made him uncomfortable in his surroundings and the logistics of flying and hotels. Once Anthony Bourdain finally saw the show for what it was, things began to really take off. Sequences of him getting into a studio room to record his now-legendary voice-overs for each episode is unforgettable and nostalgic. This brings the show to life. The voice of hopeless romantic taking you on a journey of a once down and out chef from New York.

Director Morgan Neville blends Bourdain’s journey quite seamlessly in Roadrunner especially with the people who were working closely with him. Mixing in interviews with the film crew such as Morgan Fallon and Tom Vitale. They both spoke of the challenges and pressures with working with Bourdain. Along with people who were close to him such as Michelin chef Éric Ripert, chef David Chang and David Choe. They too share their experiences of building a friendship with the man who globe trotted the world with such vigour.

Everyone noticed that something was not right with Bourdain when it came to his last episodes. You can tell by listening to his voiceovers that something was different was unsettling. But it was never more present in the episode where he talks to a psychotherapist in Bueno Aires in Argentina. This is where he openly admits that he is maybe depressed and felt alone. Bourdain explains his level of communication to those who he cared about.

Furthermore, he explains that he might have a Narcissistic Personality Disorder in which became one of the reasons to his drug addiction before he became famous.

The last season became extremely challenging for the film crew to work with Bourdain. Moments where they felt that he was disengaging with the content. More takes had to be shot with the people he was sharing food with. But it was also a childish love affair with Asia Argento that may have caused him to be overwhelmed. The actress who called out Harvey Weinstein at Cannes led Bourdain to support her and the whole #MeToo movement. She was everything to him but at the end of it all, their love was not a two way street. She ended up hopping into another relationship and this is where Bourdain was never the same. This trickled down to the film crew who also felt that this was another trigger toward his suicide.

Roadrunner: A Film By Anthony Bourdain will not supply answers as what or who was to blame for his death. That would be simply not be Morgan Neville’s style. It is a film that shows the courage and determination of a man fulfilling his dreams by all means necessary. By exploring the seedy streets of Congo or the colourful and aromatic parts of Vietnam, Anthony Bourdain was the true explorer.

What will remain a mystery is his soul that was intruded by his inner demons that grew until his death. Anthony Bourdain could not understand his own success. He didn’t even have the chance to reflect on it. The price of fame was an unexplainable growing torment of his soul and mind. It is something that we will forever never understand. But for the man who did it all on camera, he did not understand himself. Like he says, “There is no happy ending.” FERNTV suggests to be ready for a tearjerker.

https://www.focusfeatures.com/roadrunner

In theatres July 16th, 2021