Anthony Bourdain meant a lot of things to a lot of people. His global journeys showcased an intimate portrait of the very countries the U.S. news was often unwilling to show outside of conflict. He always let the people speak on behalf of themselves while remaining curious and asking questions without pretension. The once-chef and writer died by suicide in 2018, to the shock and heartbreak of friends, family, and all who watched his shows. Three years later, documentarian Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?) delivers a film, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, detailing his life in an emotionally raw and powerful way. The film is an unflinching look at Bourdain and is not hesitant to explore facets of his life and personality, while also maintaining his humanity.
Roadrunner doesn’t start at the very beginning of Bourdain’s life. Rather, the film picks up in 1999, right around the time his first book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, is published. From then on the story goes in chronological order, with voiceovers from the late Bourdain offering further insight into who he was, his feelings surrounding his journey, and more. Neville interviews many who were close to him, including his film crew, other chefs (who were also friends), and ex-wife Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, all of whom paint a clearer picture of who he was.
Those expecting the film to offer answers about Bourdain’s suicide will be disappointed. But a big part of what makes this documentary so raw is that it doesn’t promise anything beyond a deeper exploration of a man with his own demons, whose personality seemed larger than life despite the fact that he had a hard time naturally engaging with others socially. Neville’s observations regarding Bourdain’s interiority sees a man grappling with his own questions and struggles and the director provides him with the same compassion Bourdain so often bestowed upon others.
That isn’t to say the documentary treats Bourdain like an untouchable god-like figure, but rather as a person who was messy, somewhat elusive, and who had his own shortcomings, successes, and love for those closest to him. Roadrunner circles back often to Bourdain being in search of something, whether it was the next great adventure, answers to the harsh realities of life, normalcy (whatever that might mean), or happiness, all as he developed his own politics and thoughts on the world and the way he moved through it. It was clearly something he contended with while still alive, but any concrete insight ultimately seemed to evade him.
Even his closest friends and family don’t have the answers that clearly weighed on his conscience as they told personal stories about Bourdain that were full of adoration and frustration. Neville brings balance, capturing the essence of who the television host was, less consumed by the details of Bourdain’s personal life and more willing to explore the existential interiority and roughed up edges of his persona. The closer Roadrunner got to its subject, the more distanced it seemed to become, almost hovering at the fringes of Bourdain’s life. There is so much left unsaid and so much to think about after viewing, with the documentary thoroughly delving into the multitude of areas that made up his life while leaving behind enough to wonder about.
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain is ultimately a lovely, respectful, and emotionally resonant tribute to the beloved traveler, who always spoke his mind, but was unafraid to look deeper, to listen, and learn from others. The documentary reminds the audience about what made Bourdain so good at what he does — by showing compassion and curiosity, among other things — while also going beyond the lens of the camera that constantly followed him. Neville lingers long enough, painting a picture of a lost soul who brought so much of himself to the world while also wondering about his place in it.
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain had its North American premiere during the 2021 Tribeca Festival on June 11. It will be released in theaters on July 16. The film is 118 minutes long and is rated R for language throughout.