The Founder- directed by John Lee Hancock
It's ironic that after leaving the screening of "The Founder" - the based on true events story of McDonalds rise from a single burger joint to a mega corporation that serves 1% of the world's population every day that I couldn't get served at one.
I don't like McDonalds food much and usually don't eat it unless convenience and severe hunger collide but I thought it might be interesting to buy a cheeseburger on the way home.
I waited five minutes in an unmoving line at the store in the foodcourt just outside the cinema and the queue in the drive-thru at the next store I tried was even worse.
So - try as I might I couldn't get any of the food that was the subject of the film I had just watched.
Although that is not entirely correct.
"The Founder" is not so much about McDonalds food or even the company itself as it is about the man most readily associated with its success - Ray Kroc.
While a struggling Multi-Mixer salesman Ray Kroc stumbled across a burger joint run by two brothers.
It was radically different from anything else of the time.
For one it wasn't a drive in and get served by waitresses on skates operation.
You walked up to the window and got served in less than a minute as opposed to the considerable wait at rival places.
The two brothers invented a method of creating burgers quickly and uniformly by utilising sauce and mustard applying machines and carefully managing the flow and efficiency of the staff.
Ray saw instantly that this joint needed to expand into a nationwide franchise.
The problem was that the two brothers McDonald were more about quality control and pride in their self named restaurant than they were in money.
Kroc assures them that they will have control and that quality will be maintained.
With some reservations and with what they believe to be a cast iron contract the pair sign up with Kroc to expand the McDonalds burger into new locations.
So begins a battle that pitches aggressive capitalism against pride and work ethic.
Guess what wins?
Of course we know the result going in..... who amongst us hasn't eaten at a McDonalds restaurant or noted how many are located within the general area that they live and/or work in?
McDonalds is huge and if they suffered at all during the whole Morgan Spurlock "Supersize Me" campaign it sure isn't showing.
On that note I encourage people who have seen "Supersize Me" to watch the response entitled "Fat Head".
Although clearly it has an agenda itself it does a great job at exposing what a one sided hatchet job Spurlock's movie was and how little in it bears up to scrutiny.
The whole movie can be viewed here
But those matters are not part of the scope of "The Founder" which is totally interested in how Ray Kroc wrestled the name and ultimately the entire business of the McDonald brothers from them.
Kroc is portrayed as a loner with a relentless drive.
He drives around 1950's America trying to sell milkshake machines with a speech that is at least partly lifted from a business inspiration record that he plays to himself in his motel rooms.
He is a sad figure but as played by Michael Keaton not an unlikeable one.
There is an element of the underdog to him.
Even when he is clearly aiming to use dirty tricks and dishonesty to effectively steal the brothers' business from them he still retains some degree of sympathy in the audience.
It is is never say day attitude but I also felt that he was often right in his ideas on how to run the business... up to a point.
Keaton is great in this role and as I watched I couldn't imagine who but he could pull this off as effectively.
Likewise John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman playing the McDonald brothers is inspired casting.
Lynch is capable of being intimidating but also sweet and lovable - sometimes in the same role.
Refer to "Crazy Stupid Love" for an example.
He plays Mac - the naive brother with health issues who is inclined to think the best of people.
Offerman plays Dick - the smarter of the two and a man who is more measured in his assessment of those he deals with.
"The Founder" is a remarkably entertaining movie but it does fall short in one area and it is a biggie.
There is a failure to delve into Kroc's mind to suggest what is behind his drive and more notably his willingness to lie, cheat and crush dreams along the way.
Perhaps it is a deliberate omission but I felt that it was a glaring one that left the main character lacking.
That said Keaton's performance is utterly spot on and I wouldn't be a bit surprised to hear whispers about an Oscar nomination
Whether you have an interest in the history of McDonalds or not this represents two sides of America at war with each other and as such is fascinating in itself.
The brothers represent the America that was - Kroc the one that it has become.
What the movie doesn't do is pass judgment on which is better.
Kroc is definitely shown to be an unscrupulous man.
There is a scene where he ends his marriage in an incredibly cold manner.
I don't know if this is accurate but regardless enough that is shown is that even if it is made up it is still within character.
As often as I cringed in anticipation of each new Kroc maneuver designed to crush the dreams of the McDonald brothers there were an equal number of times where I admired Kroc's vision and energy.
Like it or not McDonalds is a huge success and revolutionised an industry and in many ways a culture.
RATING: 80 / 100
CONCLUSION: A smartly made, utterly fascinating story that avoids taking sides but doesn't shy away from some historical truths both good and bad.
Starring: Michael Keaton, Patrick Wilson, Linda Cardellini, Nick Offerman, Laura Dern, John Carroll Lynch, B.J Novak, Kimberly Batista, Catherine Dyer, Steve Coulter, Mike Pniewski, Devon Ogden
Screenplay: Robert D Seigel
Music Score by: Carter Burwell
Cinematography: John Schwartzman
Cinematography: John Schwartzman
Edited by: Robert Frazen
Running Time: 115 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Mild, infrequent profanity
Running Time: 115 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Mild, infrequent profanity
I don't like McDonalds food much and usually don't eat it unless convenience and severe hunger collide but I thought it might be interesting to buy a cheeseburger on the way home.
I waited five minutes in an unmoving line at the store in the foodcourt just outside the cinema and the queue in the drive-thru at the next store I tried was even worse.
So - try as I might I couldn't get any of the food that was the subject of the film I had just watched.
Although that is not entirely correct.
"The Founder" is not so much about McDonalds food or even the company itself as it is about the man most readily associated with its success - Ray Kroc.
While a struggling Multi-Mixer salesman Ray Kroc stumbled across a burger joint run by two brothers.
It was radically different from anything else of the time.
For one it wasn't a drive in and get served by waitresses on skates operation.
You walked up to the window and got served in less than a minute as opposed to the considerable wait at rival places.
The two brothers invented a method of creating burgers quickly and uniformly by utilising sauce and mustard applying machines and carefully managing the flow and efficiency of the staff.
Ray saw instantly that this joint needed to expand into a nationwide franchise.
The problem was that the two brothers McDonald were more about quality control and pride in their self named restaurant than they were in money.
Kroc assures them that they will have control and that quality will be maintained.
With some reservations and with what they believe to be a cast iron contract the pair sign up with Kroc to expand the McDonalds burger into new locations.
So begins a battle that pitches aggressive capitalism against pride and work ethic.
Guess what wins?
 |
| Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc |
McDonalds is huge and if they suffered at all during the whole Morgan Spurlock "Supersize Me" campaign it sure isn't showing.
On that note I encourage people who have seen "Supersize Me" to watch the response entitled "Fat Head".
Although clearly it has an agenda itself it does a great job at exposing what a one sided hatchet job Spurlock's movie was and how little in it bears up to scrutiny.
The whole movie can be viewed here
But those matters are not part of the scope of "The Founder" which is totally interested in how Ray Kroc wrestled the name and ultimately the entire business of the McDonald brothers from them.
 |
| John Carroll Lynch, Nick Offerman, Linda Cardellini and Laura Dern |
He drives around 1950's America trying to sell milkshake machines with a speech that is at least partly lifted from a business inspiration record that he plays to himself in his motel rooms.
He is a sad figure but as played by Michael Keaton not an unlikeable one.
There is an element of the underdog to him.
Even when he is clearly aiming to use dirty tricks and dishonesty to effectively steal the brothers' business from them he still retains some degree of sympathy in the audience.
It is is never say day attitude but I also felt that he was often right in his ideas on how to run the business... up to a point.
Keaton is great in this role and as I watched I couldn't imagine who but he could pull this off as effectively.
Likewise John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman playing the McDonald brothers is inspired casting.
Lynch is capable of being intimidating but also sweet and lovable - sometimes in the same role.
Refer to "Crazy Stupid Love" for an example.
He plays Mac - the naive brother with health issues who is inclined to think the best of people.
Offerman plays Dick - the smarter of the two and a man who is more measured in his assessment of those he deals with.
 |
| The sense of era is well realised in The Founder..... far right Keaton compared to the real Ray Kroc |
There is a failure to delve into Kroc's mind to suggest what is behind his drive and more notably his willingness to lie, cheat and crush dreams along the way.
Perhaps it is a deliberate omission but I felt that it was a glaring one that left the main character lacking.
That said Keaton's performance is utterly spot on and I wouldn't be a bit surprised to hear whispers about an Oscar nomination
Whether you have an interest in the history of McDonalds or not this represents two sides of America at war with each other and as such is fascinating in itself.
The brothers represent the America that was - Kroc the one that it has become.
What the movie doesn't do is pass judgment on which is better.
Kroc is definitely shown to be an unscrupulous man.
There is a scene where he ends his marriage in an incredibly cold manner.
I don't know if this is accurate but regardless enough that is shown is that even if it is made up it is still within character.
As often as I cringed in anticipation of each new Kroc maneuver designed to crush the dreams of the McDonald brothers there were an equal number of times where I admired Kroc's vision and energy.
Like it or not McDonalds is a huge success and revolutionised an industry and in many ways a culture.
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