When families are breaking up everywhere, and food comes out of plastic packaging, nostalgia for the old way of life does pop up sporadically. The family gathering, big dining table groaning with dishes lovingly prepared by mothers and grandmothers, music, laughter, memories.
Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn) finds a void in his life when his mother passes away. He grew up in a close-knit Italian clan, watching her and his grandmother cook elaborate and delicious meals, and that is what family means to him. Even as his best friend Bruno (Joe Manganiello) and his wife Stella (Drea de Matteo) try to discourage his foolhardiness, Joe puts all he has, including his mother’s insurance payout into buying a closed Italian restaurant in Staten Island and renaming it Enoteca Maria, in honour of his mother. His idea is to get real nonnas (Italian for grandmother) to cook, instead of professional chefs, to give diners the taste of home and feel of family.
Bruno and Stella reluctantly help him renovate the place and set up the kitchen. Between his mother’s friends and a walk-in from an ad he had placed—he gets a team of four seniors – Roberta (Lorraine Bracco), Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro), Gia (Susan Sarandon) and lapsed nun Teresa (Talia Shire). To support him is his high school crush, lawyer and Antonella’s neighbour, Olivia (Linda Cardellini).
The grannies bicker and grumble, have a food fight and set the kitchen on fire, but also cook a finger-licking menu. The problem is that there are no takers — because of a toxic Staten Island local who resents an ‘outsider’ crashing into the community and talking over a beloved legacy restaurant.
All his patience, hard work (rushing from his job at a factory to the restaurant site), the power of Teresa’s prayers and Olivia’s help, come to nought; Joe comes to a point where he simply cannot keep the restaurant going and sadly sticks a ‘For Sale’ sign on the door.
The Stephen Chbosky film is based on a true story, so it is no spoiler that everything turns out fine. Over the end credits, shots from the the real-life Enoteca Maria are shown; the popular restaurant has been open for 15 years and is now staffed by nonnas from all over the world.
It is a heartwarming story about family, friendship, loyalty and resilience, and there are drool-worthy scenes (not nearly enough) of delicious food being prepared, served and relished. It is the classic never give up plot, and in this case, one man’s dream did come true. The real Joe Scaravella is seen in a tiny cameo as a guest in the restaurant.
Nonnas also makes a very strong case for making elders feel needed, so that they also have a sense of purpose and a reason to stay active and healthy. This small crew turns into a family and from sitting alone and wallowing in loneliness, these women become part of a busy, happy community.
Nonnas
Directed by Stephen Chbosky
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, Linda Cardellini, and others
On Netflix
