Nonnas

{{Infobox film

| name = Nonnas

| image = Nonnas (2025) poster.jpg

| caption = Release poster

| director = Stephen Chbosky

| writer = Liz Maccie

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Gigi Pritzker
Rachel Shane
Jack Turner

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = Florian Ballhaus

| editing = Anne McCabe

| music = Marcelo Zarvos

| studio = {{Plainlist|

}}

| distributor = Netflix

| released = {{Film date|2025|5|9}}

| runtime = 114 minutes{{Cite web |last= |date=May 8, 2025 |title=Nonnas (12) |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/nonnas-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmdqw |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=British Board of Film Classification |language=en}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

}}

Nonnas is a 2025 American biographical comedy-drama film{{Cite web |title=The Surprising True Story Behind Netflix's Nonnas |url=https://time.com/7283639/nonnas-true-story-netflix/ |access-date=May 13, 2025 |website=Time}} directed by Stephen Chbosky, written by Liz Maccie, and starring Vince Vaughn, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro with Linda Cardellini and Susan Sarandon. The film is based on the life of Joe Scaravella, the owner of Staten Island (New York City) restaurant Enoteca Maria, who risks everything to honor his recently deceased, beloved mother by opening an Italian restaurant with actual grandmothers as chefs.

A co-production of Fifth Season, 1Community, Madison Wells, and Matador Content, the film was released on Netflix on May 9, 2025, and received mostly positive reviews. As the film was released during Mother's Day weekend in the United States, the film hit No. 1 in the country.{{cite news |last=Stanley |first=Alyse |title=Netflix just got a tasty new Vince Vaughn dramedy that's already hit No. 1 — and it's based on a true story |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/netflix/netflix-just-got-a-tasty-new-vince-vaughn-dramedy-thats-already-hit-no-1-and-its-based-on-a-true-story |access-date=May 12, 2025 |work=Tom's Guide |date=May 10, 2025 |language=en}}

Plot

As he grieves the passing of his mother, Joe Scaravella reminisces about his childhood in 1960s Brooklyn when his mother Maria (Kate Eastman) and nonna (Karen Giordano), would be in the kitchen cooking for friends and family. He remembers what they taught him and recreates all of the dishes they used to make, though he cannot seem to pin down his nonna's Sunday gravy.

Joe's best friend Bruno and his wife Stella express concern for him over dinner and encourage him to use his mother’s life insurance money to do something good for himself. Joe visits an open air market on Staten Island that he used to go to with his mother and nonna. There he runs into Olivia, his high school crush, and Antonella, her older neighbor whom she’s shopping with. After seeing a closed restaurant, he decides that he wants to open a restaurant there, call it Enoteca Maria after his mother, and the key feature will be that the kitchen is staffed by nonnas, so that the food reminds people of their childhood.

Despite resistance from Staten Island locals, Joe proceeds with his plan. He enlists Bruno’s help as a contractor and restores the space to a classic Italian restaurant. Meanwhile, he hires Antonella, his mother’s best friend Roberta, her former hairdresser Gia, and a walk-in applicant named Teresa. The nonnas clash at first being from slightly different backgrounds, but after Gia invites them to a private pampering session at her salon, the women bond and become friends.

While the nonnas are developing the menu, Roberta makes capuzzelle, accidentally starting a fire in the kitchen just before the inspector shows up. The inspector fails the restaurant due to the fire damage and tells Joe it could be a year before he can line up another inspection, leading to a fight between Joe and Bruno that ends with Joe kicking Bruno out of the restaurant.

Joe later goes to apologize and learns that Bruno had covered his own costs by selling his prized car that he inherited from his father. Touched by his friend's gesture, Joe and Bruno reconcile. Olivia, a lawyer, tracks down the inspector, learns he has a history of unethical practices, and compels him to conduct another inspection immediately. The restaurant passes, and they prepare to open.

On opening night, a major thunderstorm hits the area and nobody shows up to the restaurant besides Bruno and Stella. Antonella later finds out one of the main vendors at the market has been speaking out against the restaurant, contributing to its poor business. Joe attempts to stir up business by inviting food critic Edward Durant to review the restaurant, but he declines because he only covers fancy Manhattan restaurants.

After weeks of no business, Joe reluctantly decides he must close the restaurant. As a last hurrah, he hosts a dinner party for friends, co-workers, and the like; the restaurant impresses all of the guests. He finally decides to open an envelope left to him by his mother that he had been avoiding since her passing and finds inside the recipes for all of her and his nonna’s dishes, including the elusive Sunday gravy. Joe goes back to his old life, but a few days later Bruno visits him with a newspaper article about the restaurant where one attendee of the final dinner party was a critic sent incognito by Durant. The critic writes a glowing review, which leads to a surge in business. The restaurant ends up being a success, allowing Joe to buy back Bruno’s car. Olivia and Joe start a relationship.

During the credits, scenes from the real-life Enoteca Maria are shown, noting that the restaurant has been open for 15 years and is now staffed by nonnas from all over the world.

Cast

Vince Vaughn as Joe Scaravella
Susan Sarandon as Gia, Joe's mother's hairdresser
Lorraine Bracco as Roberta, Joe's mother's best friend
Talia Shire as Teresa, an applicant for nonna chef job
Linda Cardellini as Olivia, Joe's high school crush
Brenda Vaccaro as Antonella, Olivia's neighbor
Joe Manganiello as Bruno, Joe's best friend
Drea de Matteo as Stella, Bruno's wife
Michael Rispoli as Al, the street food vendor
Campbell Scott as Edward Durant, a newspaper food critic
Richie Moriarty as Dan McClane, Joe's boss at his old job
Tammy Pescatelli as Cousin Tammy

The real-life Joe Scaravella has a cameo appearance in an uncredited role as a guest at Enoteca Maria.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Production

Nonnas is based on the life of Joe Scaravella, the owner of Staten Island restaurant Enoteca Maria, where grandmothers (nonnas) are invited to work as chefs.{{cite news|last=Quinn|first=Liam|date=June 30, 2023|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/passaic/paterson/2023/06/30/wedding-crashers-star-vince-vaughn-films-movie-in-paterson-nj/70373566007/|title=Vince Vaughn swings through Paterson while filming upcoming movie 'Nonnas'|work=NorthJersey.com|access-date=July 10, 2023|archive-date=July 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711043904/https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/passaic/paterson/2023/06/30/wedding-crashers-star-vince-vaughn-films-movie-in-paterson-nj/70373566007/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Kuperinsky|first=Amy|date=July 2, 2023|url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2023/07/filming-in-nj-see-vince-vaughn-susan-sarandon-drea-de-matteo-and-joe-manganiello-in-nonnas.html|title=Filming in N.J.: See Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Drea de Matteo and Joe Manganiello in 'Nonnas'|work=NJ.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} Production companies Madison Wells and Matador Content purchased Scaravella's life rights and developed the project with screenwriter Liz Maccie.{{cite news|last=Grobar|first=Matt|date=July 10, 2023|url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/vince-vaughn-to-star-in-nonnas-stephen-chbosky-fifth-season-1235433593/|title=Vince Vaughn To Topline Stephen Chbosky Comedy 'Nonnas'; Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro & Linda Cardellini Among Others Set|work=Deadline|access-date=July 10, 2023|archive-date=July 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710234138/https://deadline.com/2023/07/vince-vaughn-to-star-in-nonnas-stephen-chbosky-fifth-season-1235433593/|url-status=live}}

Filming took place from May to June 2023 in various locations in New Jersey, including Jersey City, Hoboken, Bayonne, Paterson, Linden, Elizabeth, and Edison.

Release

In September 2024, Netflix acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film in an auction for over $20 million, planning to release it sometime in 2025.{{cite web|title=Netflix Makes $20M+ World Rights Deal For 'Nonnas;' Stephen Chbosky-Vince Vaughn Pic Changes Toronto Plans & Now Eyes 2025 Release|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Mike Jr|last=Fleming|date=September 4, 2024|access-date=September 4, 2024|url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/vince-vaughn-nonnas-netflix-world-rights-deal-stephen-chbosky-changes-toronto-plans-2025-release-1236077476/}} The film was released on May 9, 2025.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/netflix-2025-movie-slate-dates-for-guillermo-del-toros-frankenstein-old-guard-2-ben-affleck-matt-damons-rip-wake-up-dead-man-knives-out-mystery-more-1236272632/ |title=Netflix 2025 Movie Slate: Dates For Guillermo Del Toro's 'Frankenstein', 'Old Guard 2', Ben Affleck & Matt Damon's 'RIP', 'Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out Mystery' & More |website=Deadline Hollywood |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |date=January 30, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025 |archive-date=January 30, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130171332/https://deadline.com/2025/01/netflix-2025-movie-slate-dates-for-guillermo-del-toros-frankenstein-old-guard-2-ben-affleck-matt-damons-rip-wake-up-dead-man-knives-out-mystery-more-1236272632/ |url-status=live }}

Reception

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|82||61|Like a homey dish prepared for family, Nonnas just wants to provide heaping helpings of comfort — and does so with enough charm that audiences may want seconds.|ref=yes|access-date=June 8, 2025}} {{Metacritic film prose|57|14|ref=yes|access-date=May 17, 2025}}

In a largely positive review The Guardian awarded the film three stars, saying it fell short of "recent cookery classic The Taste of Things" but praised its "straightforward sincerity that makes it go down easily."{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/09/nonnas-review-netflix-restaurant-comedy|title=Nonnas review – fact-based Netflix restaurant comedy is a warm surprise|work=The Guardian|first=Benjamin|last=Lee|date=May 9, 2025|access-date=May 13, 2025}} RogerEbert.com gave the film three stars out of four saying: "It isn't a prestige film; it's the kind of story that reminds us we can heal through connections to the past and each other."{{cite news |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/nonnas-movie-review-2025 |title=Nonnas |work=RogerEbert.com |first=Sherin |last=Nicole |date=May 9, 2025|access-date=May 13, 2025 }}