Netflix’s new film, Nonnas, is a gift to Italian American families, honoring the matriarchs who lead them

By Christine Meglino

May 14, 2025

On mother’s day,  my extended family’s group chat exploded. Some of my family members were raving about the new Netflix film, Nonnas, urging us to watch it. It’s rare these days that my aunts and uncles use the group chat to gush about movies, so I thought maybe, with our family’s New York Italian background, I should give it a chance. As the saying goes, trust your elders. I saw my own family’s traditions and values reflected back to me in this film, and quite honestly,  it felt like receiving a warm hug from my Italian relatives, a hug I didn’t know I needed. 

Stephen Chbosky’s film begins with a flashback to the 1960s, with a young boy walking the audience through a typical Sunday afternoon of a big Italian family living in Brooklyn. My dad grew up in Brooklyn as part of a huge Italian family and seeing this sequence allowed me to have a glimpse into the world he’s often described to me. The shots of different Italian dishes on the dining room table and the vibrant conversations between family members invite the viewer into the Italian American culture and allow you to see what young Joe (Theodore Helms) values. 

As the flashback ends we are brought to present day, at a funeral. Now a middle aged man, Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn) is dealing with the devastating loss of his mother. Distraught, he begins questioning his next move in life. A mechanic working at a factory, Joe has no wife or children, and as his closest friends bring up, no direction. When thinking about what to do with the insurance money left to him following his mother’s death, he begins cooking to feel closer to his mother.  Through this art, he makes an impulsive decision to buy a restaurant, refurbish it, and serve traditional Italian food made by four Italian grandmothers in the community.  

Based on a true story, the message of this film is one, that though a tad cliché, resonates deeply with its audience. All the characters in the film are dealing with their own grief; some are grieving the loss of family members, others are mourning their former, more robust lives. At one point, Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro) delivers advice to Joe, as most grandmas do, with the perfect mix of blunt honesty and compassion “Don’t let old hurts get in the way of new beginnings”. This is the message of the film, honoring the older generation and encouraging viewers to seek new opportunities regardless of their age. 

If you have an Italian grandmother, you’ll know that though sweet, they can also be stuck in their own ways. This proves true as Roberta (Lorraine Bracca) and Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro) provide comedy through their hostile interactions, at one point setting the kitchen on fire. Vaccaro and Bracca also provide tender honesty in their acting when finally gaining common ground through their vulnerable admittance of feeling alone.  The former nun, Teresa (Talia Shire) provides her own humor through her naivety and sweetness, and as the movie progresses, her character opens up, showing the depth of her past. While the whole film delivered a dose of nostalgia, so did the casting of Susan Sarandon as Gia, the hair stylist turned baker who ignites confidence in her fellow chefs. It’s been years since I’ve seen  Sarandon in a film, and she was just a brilliant and beautiful as ever, convincingly playing a woman confident in her chosen single life. Though all four women are different, the actors allow you to see their similarities through the realness and relatability in their performances. 

While Vince Vaghn may be the popular name that draws viewers to the film, the audience will see something new from him in Nonnas. Straying from usual roles that provide him with a chance to flex his skills in sarcasm and comedy, his portrayal of Joe is honest and gentle. It’s as if, like his character, he is encouraging the viewers to focus on the stars of the film: the four inspiring females who grasp the opportunity to become chefs for the restaurant. 

I found Nonnas to be so refreshing, as it departed from the violent world of mob culture which so many movies depicting Italian American families seem to be fixated on.  This film is simple in its premise: it celebrates love and family explored through the tradition of Italian cooking.  This is the tradition I know to be true within my own family. No mobs or violence, just plenty of passionate conversations (accompanied by emphatic hand gestures), loud boisterous laughing, and an overabundance of delicious food.

After watching this film, I made a pact to learn how to make my grandmother’s sauce, despite the fact that my partner does most of the cooking in our home. As the film taught me, it’s never too late to start a new chapter, and I hope my next one includes plenty of Sunday dinners that immerse my son into the Italian way of life, a life valuing the importance of love, family, and a good Sunday gravy.