This New Netflix Movie Is a Love Letter to Mothers, Grandmothers, and Family Recipes
Of all the fond memories you carry from childhood, food probably plays a starring role in many of them. Whether you have family recipes you still make today or you make a point of gathering with friends and family over large meals, food can bring us all together in a wholly unique—and near-universal—way, no matter how long it's been since you were last together or whether some of your loved ones have passed on. Food and family and togetherness are all linked, a sentiment upcoming film Nonnas celebrates in every scene.
Based on the true story of Joe Scaravella and Enoteca Maria, an eatery on New York City's Staten Island, Nonnas stars Vince Vaughn as Joe, a man who has lost his mother and grandmother but who finds comfort in preparing the Italian recipes they left behind (even if he doesn't know all the secret ingredients). Joe decides to celebrate those he has lost by opening a restaurant in their memory, and he recruits a team of local older women—the titular nonnas, which is Italian for grandmothers—as cooks.
It's not a smooth path to success for Joe and his chefs, but the movie celebrates every step of the journey, with plenty of scrumptious shots of tomatoes, noodles, and sauces along the way. (Seriously—this movie will have you craving Italian food from the start.)
Nonnas writer Liz Maccie lost her mother about a decade ago, and the movie is an 'incredible love letter to my family,' she tells Better Homes & Gardens. At the same time, it's a movie about found family, grief, legacy, and amazing food, with plenty of laughs layered in for good measure.
'[Liz] really wrote it from the heart, and that transferred onto the page,' says actor Lorraine Bracco, who plays one of the nonnas in the film. 'And that was special. That was very, very moving. I laughed and I cried when I read it.'
Related: 9 Healthy Italian Recipes That Don't Skimp on Flavor
The emphasis on family spoke to the movie's stars.
'I called it my Jimmy Stewart movie, because it was so loving. It was so emotional, everything was about love and giving,' says actor Brenda Vaccaro, who plays another nonna and chef.
And for actor Joe Manganiello, who plays Vaughn's friend in the movie, the focus specifically on Italian legacy offered another layer of meaning.
'I have very fond memories of my Sicilian grandma,' he says. 'I thought about her a lot while I was filming this.'
Related: 24 of Our Favorite and Most Delicious Classic Italian Recipes
Watching the movie is sure to make you think about your own family, and the recipes they've passed down to you. Hopefully, it'll encourage you to make sure you can pass those recipes down, too.
'A lot of families, they don't write [recipes] down,' says director Stephen Chbosky, who is also married to writer Liz Maccie. 'And I hope the film changes that. I hope everybody sees the film and obviously orders Italian food, or makes Italian food, and then says, 'All right, mom, whoever, sit down and write it all down, because I want to bring with me.''
As an ode to mothers and grandmothers, family recipes, shared meals, and incredible Italian food, Nonnas truly has something for everyone. And with its May 9 release date falling just before Mother's Day, it's the perfect movie to watch with your mom (or grandmother, or children). Just make sure you eat a good meal before you press play.
In addition to Vaughn, Manganiello, Bracco, and Vaccaro, Nonnas stars Susan Sarandon, Linda Cardellini, Talia Shire, and Drea de Matteo. Nonnas is available to stream on Netflix starting May 9.
Related: HGTV's New 'Castle Impossible' Documents a Wild Journey to Save a 500-Year-Old Chateau
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