'Nonnas' review: Vince Vaughn sleepwalks through a soggy serving of sentiment

Courtesy of Netflix

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During the end credits of “Nonnas,” we catch a glimpse of Enoteca Maria, a real Staten Island restaurant known for inviting grandmothers to serve as chefs and share their traditional Italian cuisine. The archival footage offers a warm, genuine look at Joe Scaravella’s word-of-mouth sensation and hints at the cultural significance it holds. These final moments are the most alive the film ever feels, making you wonder if a documentary might have been the better route instead of this formulaic, Mother’s Day-ready comedy from director Stephen Chbosky.

“Nonnas” wants to dramatize Scaravella’s journey, but it rarely rises above the level of a made-for-streaming, feel-good special. Vince Vaughn stars as Joe, but delivers such a lifeless, disengaged performance that he often feels like he’s acting in a completely different movie. His portrayal lacks the charm, timing, or conviction needed to make this character compelling.

To be fair, the film is harmless and will likely satisfy the Netflix algorithm. The cooking scenes, which feature Italian staples like capuzzelle, zeppole, and scungilli, are sure to get taste buds revving. But it’s missing the key ingredients required for a story like this to truly resonate: emotional depth, stakes, and a reason to care.

The film opens with promise. A young Joe helps his mother and grandmother perfect their Sunday night “gravy,” absorbing the mantra that the secret to the sauce is “you feel it in your heart.” It’s an endearing moment, but things quickly take a turn for the generic.

Flash forward forty years: Joe is now a middle-aged man (Vaughn) working at a local auto body shop and struggling to recapture the magic of his grandmother’s sauce. He still cooks weekly dinners for his best friend Bruno (Joe Manganiello) and his wife Stella (Drea de Matteo), but otherwise feels adrift. After his mother’s passing, he impulsively decides to use her inheritance to open a failing local restaurant, despite having no experience.

From there, he recruits a team of neighborhood matriarchs: his mom’s best friend Roberta (Lorraine Bracco), his elderly neighbor Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro), a retired nun named Teresa (Talia Shire), and a hairdresser named Gia (Susan Sarandon). Together, they form a tight-knit brigade ready to bring heart and tradition back to the table. But, as expected, they face a slew of obstacles, from health inspectors to kitchen fires to the more existential challenge of getting customers through the door.

Unfortunately, all of this unfolds with a bland, overdramatized predictability. Chbosky, whose past work on “Wonder” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” displayed a much stronger grasp of tone and character, seems adrift here. Liz Maccie’s screenplay coasts from one scene to the next in montage-like fashion, rarely allowing characters or moments to breathe.

The biggest misstep, however, is the casting of Vaughn. Here is a role that demands charisma, warmth, and maybe even a little humor. Instead, Vaughn delivers his lines with a strange, matter-of-fact flatness and almost no comic instinct. He’s done dramatic work before, and done it well, but “Nonnas” asks almost nothing of him, and he obliges.

Visually, the film is also a letdown. Its uninspired, flat cinematography resembles a TV pilot rather than a feature film. While it may find modest appeal among families looking for something gentle to watch over the holiday weekend, “Nonnas” is ultimately as bland as overcooked pasta. It wants to warm your heart, but mostly leaves you hungry for something more satisfying.

Grade: C-

NONNAS is now streaming on Netflix.