“Nonnas” – Served Fresh on Netflix
When I read the first line of description for “Nonnas” – “a comedy based on the true story of an Italian restaurant run by… grandmothers” – my heart sank. Not because I was sad, but because I immediately felt the warmth of humanity, the aroma of Italian food simmering on the stove, and a very real story waiting to be told.
Vince Vaughn, who has brought laughter and depth to many roles, now transforms into Joe Scaravella, a son who opens a restaurant in memory of his mother – by hiring his grandmothers to cook. Just hearing it makes me feel a sense of nostalgia wrapped up in a bowl of hot spaghetti.
Directed by Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), “Nonnas” is certainly not only an entertaining comedy, but also a love letter to the silent women who keep the fire burning in every family kitchen. You may laugh at the witty exchanges of your “nonna” (grandmothers), but you may also cry – remembering her small figure standing in front of the stove, stirring the pot of soup and always saving the best part for her grandchildren.
Situations that make you laugh…
“Nonna Maria” screams in the kitchen:
“This pot of water boils slower than my husband used to answer me ‘I love you’!”
A guest asks if the food is hygienic, Nonna Carmela replies:
“Son, grandma has been cooking this for thirty years, and she’s still alive! Don’t worry!”
Nonna talks about her younger days:
“I was so pretty back then! When I went to the market, 5 people asked for my phone number, 3 of them were policemen chasing me away because I was selling without a license!”
A scene of three nonnas arguing fiercely… about how to make tomato sauce:
“No! You have to leave out the last basil leaf!”
“No! It takes another 10 minutes to get the love!”
“You guys ruined it – call Joe back, I’m not cooking!”
🧡 … but it also slows your heart down a beat
A grandmother sits alone in the kitchen when the restaurant is closed, whispering to an old photo:
“Honey, today the guests praised my lasagna. If he were alive, he would be very proud…”
Joe sits down to eat with a nonna, asks:
“Do you miss someone every time you cook?”
The nonna replies, her eyes sparkling:
“Every time I cut onions, I miss my mother. She used to cry because of onions – or maybe not because of onions…”
A quiet scene, as the grandmothers quietly wrap ravioli together, a whisper rings out:
“A good meal needs more than just spices, it needs memories.”
Nonna Lucia hands a portion of tiramisu to the little boy:
“Eat this, this is for the person I love the most today.”
A quote that can make you laugh and cry at the same time: “The kids now call it ‘comfort food’ – but for me, it’s ‘remember food’ – a dish to remember the person you love.”
Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, and Talia Shire – a veteran cast – will not only play women who cook, but also inspirational souls, who keep the soul of each dish, each life story.
“Nonnas” is not just a movie, it’s an emotion
If you have ever lost someone dear to you, smelled food that reminded you of a distant time, or simply loved the way food can connect people, then “Nonnas” is a movie you should not miss.
Premiering May 9, 2025 on Netflix, this is an invitation to return — not to a place, but to the deepest sense of family within each of us.
