If you haven’t checked out Vince Vaughn‘s Nonnas with a Netflix subscription yet, you’re missing out on one of the most joyous movies of the year. Critics and audiences alike are loving the movie that tells the true story of a man’s attempt to run a restaurant with Italian grandmothers as the chefs, and the challenges of starting something new in life. I was surprised to hear Vaughn refer to it as an “outlaw movie,” but after hearing his reasoning, it makes sense.
When I hear the word “outlaw,” I think of the best Western movies of all time, but that’s not what Vince Vaughn was talking about when he referred to Nonnas as such in an interview with THR. Rather, he explained how this movie flies in the face of the types of movies that Hollywood is trying to make nowadays:
It’s always nice when you’re in something that’s working, and what’s interesting about Nonnas is, it’s really a movie that you could watch with all ages. It’s definitely something that’s feel-good, and the fact that that’s not the norm of a movie to be made, but that’s this outlaw movie, is interesting in this moment in time. It is a movie that you could share multi-generationally.
Vaughn certainly has a vested interest in promoting Nonnas as a movie for all ages, but he’s right. It’s a movie for anyone who loves their grandmothers or has had to go through the process of losing a loved one and searched for a way to honor them. It’s a great and wholesome story, made better by the fact that the Enoteca Maria is a real restaurant that readers can visit should they feel compelled to do so.
It will be interesting to see how the popularity and acclaim of Nonnas will impact Netflix’s decision-making on what original movies it pursues in the future. The feel-good drama might not have made waves in the theaters compared to other tentpole features, but it’s a hit with people enjoying movies from their living rooms and looking to watch some great Italian food be made.
Of course, it’s not just the Italian food that has people so in love with this movie. As previously mentioned, Nonnas dives into grief and moving forward after the loss of a loved one. It almost has the vibe of a Hallmark movie, but with better production value. And, at the risk of offending anyone who loves those movies, it has a bit more meat to it than comparable movies I’ve seen.
Now, all this to say I don’t think we’re going to see Nonnas 2: Back In The Kitchen, and Vince Vaughn and Netflix will have to go back to the drawing board to find a movie that’s quite as appealing as this. Fortunately, other movies like La Dolce Villa have filled a similar niche in being an accessible, wholesome movie for all ages. So maybe this “outlaw” movie format will become more commonplace by this time next year.
Nonnas is available to stream right now on Netflix, and if you haven’t seen it already, what are you doing? That said, I warn anyone who watches not to check it out unless you have an Italian restaurant nearby to visit afterwards, because you will be craving some of those delicious meals not long after watching.
