Ah, nonna mia! Nonnas on Netflix is a saucy, sass-filled, hug-in-a-bowl kind of show! What happens when you mix grief, garlic, and grandmothers in one kitchen?
Well, then you have Nonnas (2025), the real tomato-splashed solace film you never knew you needed. Based on (Cutesy) true events, the story revolves around Joe, a man who turns heartbreak into a culinary love letter by opening a restaurant whose staff consists of grandmothers from around the world.
And let’s be honest with ourselves, who wants celebrity chefs with their aloof air when we have the seasoned nonnas, sassy and wise? Who knows the hardest-hitting life lessons and can dish out some serious lasagna?
What’s Good?
Plot
It’s simple. Yes. Predictable? Kind of. But delightful? Absolutely! Joe’s journey from grief to gastronomic glory is not groundbreaking, but the picture is put together with all the right ingredients that promise a hearty, low-stress watch. It’s just a bit more about flavor than finesse, and it works.
Performances
Oh boy, the nonnas carry this film like a success out of carrying trays of baked ziti – effortlessly and with flair! Each grandma brings a different flavor from snarky to soulful. Their chemistry with Joe is charming, and honestly, it’s refreshing to see older women not just standing at the back but running the kitchen.
Vibe
This is a serotonin-in-apron form movie. Warm, cozy, and yet a bit over-sauced; that’s just one of those charms about it. You will laugh, you may shed tears, and most definitely you will end up wanting to go nag your grandma.
Sassiness
Let’s talk about that spiced humor. These ladies throw shade like they throw Parmesan. The sass is heavy, and the one-liners? Chef’s kiss. Honestly, it’s making grandma mafia energy, and I’m all for it.
What is Not-So-Al Dente?
Authenticity
If you are an Italian or know his carbonara from cacciatore, Nonnas could raise an eyebrow. It tends to overdo Italian American stereotypes -loud voices, too much tomato sauce, gravy instead of sauce, sounds like the script was set in Little Italy and not Naples. And let’s not forget those cringeworthy mispronunciations at times totally changing the meaning-Yikes.
Stereotyping & Representation
What this film does, in spite of celebrating culture, flattens it out. The film often paints Italian identity with one brush: loud, red-sauce-drenched, and rooted in mob-adjacent caricature.
No authentic Italian food, culture, or dialect would be that for entertainment purposes, maybe okay; but for a story “based on real life”? It deserved more nuance. Boom.
Creativity
Some moments feel like an old dish warmed-up version of better food films (ahem, The Big Night). The emotional beats and that “save the restaurant” climax are rich, but reheated. Not much of a five-star innovation on the menu.
Plot Depth
It’s not really a complex soufflé of emotions,instead it’s more a bowl of mac and cheese: safe, nostalgic, and not too layered. That’s fine for a cozy night, but don’t expect a cinematic revolution.
Also Read…
Worth Visiting Nonnas?
Absolutely yes…Nostalgia hugs, humor, and heaping bowls are what you’d expect in this movie. Nonnas do not actually have to crank out the recipe or anything, but it puffs enough love and spice into it to still be quite a fun comfort watch. Just don’t take it for the Italian cultural guidebook – it’s more a love letter to grandma vibes than heritage accuracy.
Final Thought:
Nonnas for me is a place where you can sit and warm yourself in the kitchen by listening to stories of love, even when its pasta is slightly overcooked. Watching Nonnas is like being wrapped in a flour-dusted apron by your grandma, who tells you stories while stirring the sauce. Sweet, familiar, and spiced just right, even if it’s a little heavy on the gravy.
Ratings – 7 / 10 ⭐
Written By MANSI SINGH