The movie “Nonnas” made its debut on Netflix on May 9 and it’s the #1 movie in the Netflix top 10 right now. With Vince Vaughn and a group of charming Italian grandmothers, how could they have gone wrong? It’s perfect.
Nonnas
Video of Nonnas trailer courtesy of Netflix
“Nonnas” was produced by Fifth Season, 1Community, Madison Wells, and Matador Content for Netflix. The dramedy is based on a true story and was directed by Stephen Chbosky, written by Liz Maccie and Jody Scaravella. And it has an amazing cast including: Vince Vaughn, Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, Joe Manganiello, Linda Cardellini, Tammy Pescatelli, and Drea de Matteo.
Synopsis
“Nonnas” is based on the real-life story of Joe Scaravella, the owner of Enoteca Maria, a restaurant in Staten Island, NY. Joe grew up with the love and influence of his nonna and his mother, spending time with them both in the kitchen.
The old-world Italian cooking his nonna passed on to his mother made a lasting impact on him as an adult, and after the death of his mother, Joe questions what to do next. He has inherited a large sum of money and is faced with deciding on his future. Joe visits the Italian market he used to go to with them and finds a restaurant for sale. He makes the snap decision to buy it, renovate it, and have real-life nonnas as the chefs.
After convincing a quartet of women to work in the kitchen, he must negotiate the difficulties of running a restaurant in a community where he is considered an outsider, while the women find their own way together in their newfound purpose.
What Makes it Worth Seeing?
“Nonnas” is a beautiful tribute to the restaurant that Scaravella has owned and operated since 2007. The story is touching, and from the start, you want Joe to succeed. Each hurdle felt personal, and it was impossible to stop watching because they make you need to know what comes next, even though we already know he succeeded.
The casting was phenomenal. Each character comes to life and feels real. It made me want to have the kind of family that Joe built in that restaurant kitchen.
There was a bit of a disconnect with some of the dialogue. Some words used that are meant to be Italian don’t quite hit the way they probably wanted them to. An internet search for one word brought up the discussion that the word had been incorrect, and the posters made guesses at what the writer had meant.
Still, the small things aside, the story overall is touching and heartfelt. I was glad to experience the story, and it made me want to know more about the restaurant itself.
Enoteca Maria & Joe Scaravella
The staff of Enoteca Maria continues to serve customers authentic meals made by nonnas. In 2015, grandmothers from countries other than Italy were invited to join the kitchen staff. Now, the restaurant carries the additional name, Nonnas of the World.
The restaurant is located at 27 Hyatt St, Staten Island, NY. According to their website, they are cash only and open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You must make reservations.
