The Founder (2016) User Reviews

A tale of treachery, greed and a code of ethics toxic enough to spoil a Big Mac.

[CineMuseFilms · 8/10 · 26 November 2016]

Biographical dramas tell stories about significant people in history but they are always much more than that. The person chosen for the bio-pic reflects something about the values of the era and the society from which they came. In this sense, The Founder (2016) goes well beyond the story of a global hamburger empire to the values that made McDonald's possible and it does not paint a pretty picture. The mantra "persistence is everything" is heard at the beginning and the end of this film but when decoded it means persistent treachery, greed, and a code of ethics toxic enough to remove some gloss from the world's most recognised golden arches.

The real founders are brothers Maurice (John Lynch) and Richard McDonald (Nick Offerman) who pioneered the idea of standardised burgers made quickly that led to the modern fast-food industry. Into their lives came Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling milkshake-mixer salesman who is amazed at the queues of people lined up for burgers and fries. The brothers trust Ray, tell him their secrets, and in 1954 Ray becomes the franchise manager responsible for setting up new stores. Driven by insatiable greed, Ray wants to go national but the brothers fear loss of quality control. When Ray realises that owning the property on which stores operate gives him complete control of the business, his takeover plans are rolled into place.

The storyline follows the facts of history but it is the film's characterisations that are its real achievement. Perhaps best known for his extraordinary performance in Birdman (2014) Michael Keaton is in a class of his own when it comes to portraying deeply flawed people living on the edge of sanity or evil. From the opening scenes his eyes express callous disregard for others, and at one point he boasts that if a competitor was drowning he would not hesitate to put a running hose deep down the victim's throat. His flawed humanity is contrasted by the authenticity and honesty represented by the brothers. Excellent casting, directing and period sets make this a thoroughly engaging story.

This film also arrives with remarkable timing given the current global spotlight on the home of capitalism. Millions of McDonald's fans are regularly processed by one of the most sophisticated marketing machines on the planet. Seeing The Founder is a bit like finding out that Santa Claus is Satan in disguise. Good cinema not only entertains: it shows the world as it is, not as we believe it should be. The Founder tells a story that should be told, and it does it brilliantly.

Heartbreaking

[Jessica-katz5 · 8/10 · 25 February 2017]

Really don't even know how to review this movie. Acting was superb, but content makes me sick. I give this a 1 on storyline alone. Ray Kroc was a scumbag of the highest order, in a class all his own. My heart breaks for the McDonald Brothers who were steamrolled, manipulated, and who had their livelihood utterly destroyed by this cunning, ruthless, and I'm convinced, sociopathic man. Especially with the notes at the end how they never received one dime in royalties. This story will really make you hate McDonald's.

Keaton shines in this fascinating biopic

[eddie_baggins · 8/10 · 24 November 2016]

For many the thought nowadays of takeaway food is but a convenience we all enjoy (some more than others) but at one stage during human history the very idea of having your burger, fries and ice-cold Coke ready in mere seconds was a novelty that began sweeping the nation of America before taking over the world as we now know it today.

A staple for over 60 years, McDonalds restaurants are a mainstay of everyday life, a reliable source of cheeseburger delicacies, crispy French fries and refreshing beverages that continue to supply the goods to those both young and those young at heart. When consuming McDonalds however, its unlikely many of us have ever truly considered where this establishment was born from and thankfully for all us, the story is a real doozy.

It's often the case these days that high profile, well-marketed biopics are reliable as a Big Mac (you always know what you're going to get) but John Lee Hancock's film is imbedded with both an energy and pace that elevates it above the usual bio-fair and with another awards worthy turn from Michael Keaton as its centrepiece, this enthralling slice of history is a fabulously entertaining ride tinged in nostalgic 1950's vibes and garnished with a quick- smart script from The Wrestler screenwriter Robert D. Siegel.

Capturing the time, place and allurement of this mankind changing business model, The Founder does a great job of transporting us back in time as we ride alongside struggling salesman Ray Kroc, whose eyes are opened when he comes across the McDonald brothers, whose business model of "fast food" finally gives Ray the chance his so longed for all his life, to make a buck and then some.

Keaton's performance as Kroc is quite the feat. His a genuinely cold and calculated character but as the film begins we are happy to see him put in the hard yards as his franchise model of stores takes off but as the brand grows so does Kroc's ego and Keaton's performance morphs naturally as it does in fascinating and unexpected ways.

Come the films later stages, the real feat of Keaton's turn comes into the spotlight and what we're left with is a layered character brought to life by the performer, whether it's in comical situations or brutally raw moments shared with lawyers, Keaton is on fire here and while his ably supported by the likes of Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch as the unfortunate McDonald brothers Dick and Mac, The Founder is founded off the back of Keaton's turn and whilst unlikely that this film will find itself in to many awards categories, Keaton is looming as a key player in the upcoming awards season.

The Founder is one of those rare biopics that grabs you from the get-go and doesn't let up.

A well shot, scored and acted studio film that tells a story worth telling (plus one of the best advertisements McDonald's has never paid for), The Founder offers a fascinating insight into the beginnings of the McDonald's brand that also gives us an equally fascinating real life figure and another chance for the career revival of Michael Keaton to continue on its merry way.

4 milkshake sachets out of 5

I simultaneously respect and dislike Ray Kroc

[cricketbat · 7/10 · 28 December 2018]

The Founder is a fascinating and frustrating story about a man (and a restaurant chain) that you simultaneously respect and dislike. Michael Keaton becomes Ray Kroc, and this film makes you realize how revolutionary the concept of McDonald's really was. It may have made my wife want to boycott the Golden Arches for a while, but it's still a well-made movie.

The Founder is the McDonalds version of There Will Be Blood...and I'm lovin it

[RforFilm · 9/10 · 13 February 2017]

When somebody like myself can describe their childhood as always remembering the golden arches from the McDonalds, I don't know whether to describe this memory as sad, like an imprinted advertisement, or simply American. Regardless of the opinion of their food, McDonalds is the standing example of the American dream, both for the consumer and the businesspeople. For a typical family, they have the option of forgoing the hard work of cooking in favor of having hamburgers in a short time (I never said it's a good thing, just an option). For the entrepreneur, McDonalds is more then just a restaurant; it's a success story of an American company that has gone global.

McDonalds today represents American capitalism; always expanding, always trying to please the customer, and always ruthless. For a company that has prided itself off of its food, they've been criticized for the health factor and their aggressive marketing tactics. A lot of a companies behavior goes back to the ones the started it. It may be the case for a lot of companies like Apple, Starbucks, Wal Mart, and Playboy, but McDonalds actually had two beginnings. Their stories are shown in The Founder.

Milkshake maker salesman Ray Kroc (played by Michael Keaton) seems to be doing well at his job, but is striving for something bigger. His usual sales to restaurants and drive-ins give him a glimpse at the flaws of these places including wrong food orders, long waits, and loud atmosphere full of teens. When an order for eight mixers is placed by a restaurant in San Bernardino, Kroc drives out there to see this "McDonalds". What he encounters is a revolutionary speed system that allows food to ready fast along with disposable paper and a family friendly environment. Kroc meets the McDonalds brothers, Dick (played by Nick Offerman) and Mac (played by John Carroll Lynch) who convinces them to let him help franchise the restaurant.

Kroc at first has a hard time convincing investors to join in on this new restaurant idea, and the few wealthy ones that do try to do things their own way (including fried chicken on the menu!). Once he gets the idea that middle class investors are more likely to follow the McDonalds standards, restaurants start to explode across the Midwest and the business takes off like crazy. As Kroc gains power, he starts to become more defiant against the McDonalds brothers, despite being restricted by their original contract.

My original fear was that The Founder was simply going to be a commercial for McDonalds. What I got instead was a very fascinating character study into the mind of Ray Kroc. A bad screenplay could have easily made Ray Kroc a pioneer or a monster, but this somehow balances out everything in a fair viewpoint. You don't agree with a lot of the tactics Kroc does to make the burger business boom, but the movie shows where he's coming from. They also portray him as vulnerable, as they show later that one of the companies biggest tactics comes from a third party.

Michael Keaton is perfect as Ray Kroc. He balances the scripts tough job of making him tough and backstabbing, yet likable enough that you still want to follow him.

I have to give a lot of credit to both Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch as the McDonalds brothers who have the caliber to pull off the perfectionist, yet naïve attitude that the original siblings had.

The Founder is neither a pro or anti McDonalds movie. This is more like Patton or Nightcrawler; it's a study on a person in which your supposed to make your own judgment on.

I'll give this nine McDonalds logos out of ten. Had I seen this last year, it probably would've ended up on the best of 2016. The good news is that even without the accolades it missed out on, The Founder is still a good movie from start to finish. Check it out and see if your lovin it like I am.

Kroc took their lunch money

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 19 January 2017]

Greetings again from the darkness. How you define success will likely determine your interpretation of this film that is every bit as much about the humble beginnings and explosive growth of McDonalds as it is a biopic of Ray Kroc, the self-professed "founder" of the golden arches empire. Capitalism and its corresponding businessmen have not typically been favorably portrayed by Hollywood in such films as The Social Network, Wall Street, Glengarry Glen Ross, Steve Jobs and The Wolf of Wall Street. This latest from director John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr. Banks, The Blind Side) and writer Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) is no exception, and it's obvious why.

It's 1954 when we first catch up with Ray Kroc (as played by Michael Keaton). He's the type of travelling salesman who totes around his latest widget (a multiple milkshake machine), rehearses and polishes his spiel (via extreme close-up), and listens to motivational record albums that preach the importance of persistence, while he stays at roadside motels that act as his home away from home. Kroc doggedly pursues the American dream, and optimistically bounces from one project to another … convinced that he's found "the next big thing".

When circumstance leads him to a crowded little octagonal burger shop in San Bernardino, Kroc becomes fascinated with its simplicity and success. Over dinner, Dick (Nick Offerman) and Mac (John Carroll Lynch) McDonald detail the Spee-Dee kitchen design and unique focus on quality, consistency and speed that today is considered the starting line of the fast-food industry. The tennis court sequence is especially creative and fun to watch. While the brothers prefer to keep the business small and remain in control, Kroc pitches his vision of franchising … a pitch with emphasis on "Crosses. Flags. Arches".

The full story is likely one most people don't know … despite the fact that McDonalds now feeds 1% of the world population each day (a statistic posted on screen). The relationship between Kroc and the McDonald brothers was never a smooth one, and it's a perfect example of dog-eat-dog, or unprincipled vs idealistic. Kroc sees himself as a "winner", while it's likely most will view his actions as unscrupulous, even if legal.

Keaton's performance accurately captures a man who is impatiently ambitious, and whose confidence and ego grow incrementally as it becomes inevitable that the decency of the brothers is actually a weakness in business. Offerman and Lynch are both excellent, and other support work is provided by Laura Dern as Kroc's first and mostly neglected wife who is tossed aside when something better comes along; BJ Novak as Harry J Sonneborn, the key to Kroc's power move; Justin Randell Brooks as Fred Turner and Kate Kneeland as June Martino, two trusted employees; and Patrick Wilson as a key franchisee. Linda Cardellini (Mad Men, Bloodline) plays Joan, Ray's wife (she was actually his third) and business adviser from 1969 until his death in 1984. The film shortchanges her importance – at least until the closing credit recap.

Bookending that opening extreme close-up sales pitch, is a near-conclusion zoom on Keaton's face as he prepares for an event where he will tell his story … at least his version of the story. The film does a really nice job of capturing the era. Of particular interest is that the cars don't look like they rolled right out of a classic car show, as happens with most movies. It's nice to see some faded paint and a dented fender on screen. The early McDonalds locations are beautifully and realistically replicated to provide a nostalgic look for some, and a first glimpse for others. Carter Burwell's score is complementary to the proceedings, and director Hancock deserves credit for not just making this the Michael Keaton/Ray Kroc show. Rather than serving up a Happy Meal movie, the film instead provides a somewhat toned-down historical view of ambition and drive, and the birth of an empire … one that changed our culture.

An interesting look into the way one man helped turn a small hamburger restaurant into a global fast food empire

[MrDHWong · 8/10 · 24 November 2016]

The Founder is a biographical drama film starring Michael Keaton based on the life of American businessman and founder of the McDonald's Corporation Ray Kroc. Whether you love the McDonald's brand or hate it, this film offers a compelling view into the way it has captivated us all with its worldwide presence.

In 1954, salesman Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) meets with brothers Dick (Nick Offerman) and Mac (John Carroll Lynch) McDonald, the owners of the hamburger restaurant known as "McDonald's". Fascinated by the brothers' ability to have burgers and fries cooked in a matter of seconds, Kroc suggests the idea of franchising the restaurant nationwide, hoping to use this as a way to take control of the company and earn money for himself.

Featuring yet another terrific performance from the ever-versatile Michael Keaton, his second best behind Birdman, The Founder is an interesting look into the way one man helped turn a small hamburger restaurant into a global fast food empire. It is fascinating seeing how one simple idea - fast food - has changed the culinary world forever. However, one cannot help but feel sorry for the misfortune the McDonald brothers went through as a result of franchising their name and the exploitation they received. I should also mention that the film reminded me of the 2010 film The Social Network, with its similar plot about one man exploiting a clever idea from two brothers for his own financial gain.

I rate it 8/10.

A solid biopic made worth seeing for Keaton

[sossevarvo · 7/10 · 26 November 2016]

The Founder is another tale of the American Dream. It's the kind of tale we've seen a million times before. American man wants to become successful, sacrifices morality for moolah, etc. It's The Godfather, it's The Social Network, it's The Wolf of Wall Street. And The Founder, while entertaining, offers pretty much nothing new, or distinctive, to contribute. It is directed fairly conventionally, the story hits all the beats you'd expect, and it's not going to stick to your memory for too long.

But that discounts the fact that the film is rather well made. Performances are uniformly solid, and the film is undeniably compelling for much of its run time. But the real reason to see the film is the powerhouse performance of Michael Keaton, a neglected actor throughout the 2000s who seems to be finally getting roles that he deserves with this, Spotlight and Birdman to consider. He is slimy, charismatic, and curiously sympathetic in all the right ways.

In all The Founder may not light your world on fire, but it's a rock solid tale of greed and the American Dream that ought to entertain most that it meets.

Side Note -I have no idea why this is playing in Australia over a month before it comes out across the rest of the world, but hey I'm not complaining.

Well made but a tough sell since the central figure is difficult to like.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 4 September 2017]

"The Founder" is a well made and interesting movie. The filmmakers had so much faith in the film that they counted on it being Oscar bait....and were apparently shocked that it didn't receive a single nomination. Why? Well, I'd bet that the film has one fatal flaw that prevented it from being better received...the central character to the story, Ray Kroc, was not an easy man to like. Selling a film that exposes him as a rather cut-throat businessman probably left more than a few people cold when the film ended.

The story begins in the early 1950s. Ray Kroc is a salesman, on the road constantly, trying to sell his milkshake machines to restaurants...and without a lot of apparent success. However, when he comes upon the Dick and Mac McDonald and their restaurant in San Bernadino, California, Ray developed a dream...to franchise the McDonald brother's design and concept. The film is about the early rocky years getting the franchises going as well as how Ray handled his eventual success.

I have no complaints about the film...it was well made and engaging. But, as I said above, the central character, Ray Kroc, was a tough sell. Although the world, and especially America, has a huge love of nostalgia, learning that the nostalgic feeling engendered by McDonald's is actually the dream of a rather amoral and scheming man. Still, it is worth seeing...just not exactly a feel good film.

Fast Food Nation

[sol- · 7/10 · 4 December 2016]

Based on the true story of Ray Kroc, a traveling salesman who franchised the first family-owned McDonald's restaurant and turned it into the international conglomerate that it is today, 'The Founder' tells a fascinating slice of twentieth century history. The title is well chosen, hinting at the dynamic at the heart of the film with Kroc declaring himself the "founder" of McDonald's when in fact the idea of fast and efficient food service was never his to begin with - something that becomes a point of contention with the original owners. Michael Keaton is excellent in the lead role, exuding both charm and charisma while also always coming off as if he has something up his sleeve. There are several great shots throughout that linger on his face in close-up as he delivers persuasive sales pitches and there is a magnificent sequence late in the piece where several of his sermons in different locations are edited together to overlap as one big speech. Keaton also does well coming off as both victim and aggressor at varying points. At times, he comes across as an all-too-sympathetic underdog whose dreams are hindered by the McDonalds brothers' unwillingness to compromise in the name of progress. At other points, he seems insanely ruthless with how he circumvents everything in his way. Telling a similar slice of contemporary history, 'The Founder' is bound to be compared to 'The Social Network', to which it does not stack up as well, but it deserves to be considered as a film on its own. The storytelling approach here is more comedic than in the Facebook film and while 'The Founder' may have benefited from even more comedy to lighten the mood, it is an amusing film as it is - and a thought-provoking film when considers its basis in actual fact.

The Founder Provides a Nourishing and Well Balanced Movie Going Experience

[CANpatbuck3664 · 9/10 · 25 January 2017]

Sometimes it kind of sucks loving movies and living in a small town. I wanted to see this as soon as I saw the trailer but it was only available in a limited release. So I had to wait for the expansion in the release after the new year came around. So I made the trip up to a larger city with a couple of good friends to get the chance to go see it. I walked away from the theatre impressed with the movie and glad I made the trip. The Founder could have taken the easy route, painting Ray Kroc as the cartoon villain but the movie rises above that and shows us a balanced and unflinching look at the creation and expansion of the McDonald's brand.

*Minor Spoilers Ahead* When you think of people that have created billion dollar empires, you don't picture them where Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) is. It's 1954 and Kroc is slinging milkshake mixers on a diner to diner basis. He's got a nice pitch but his mixers aren't selling, his pitch is met with rejection, dismissal and slammed doors. After trying his luck, he gets food at the diners. He's unimpressed by the service, the quality of the product and the clientele. He puts on a brave face though when he's calling his wife Ethel (Laura Dern) and after feeding her some half-truths about his sales, he goes to be listening to an album about the "Power of Persistence." The next day he calls up head office and they tell him there's an order for 6 mixers out in San Bernardino, California. Ray thinks it's a joke so he calls the location and Dick McDonald (Nick Offerman) answers the phone. The order turns out to be genuine and instead of following his normal route, he heads out to California to see what kind of operation the McDonald brothers are running.

I didn't know the story about McDonald's so I went in only knowing what the trailer showed. The trailer kind of made Kroc out to be a snake hiding in the grass, which would have still been interesting but the biggest surprise when it came to The Founder was that it took a pretty balanced look at how McDonald's was created. We see Kroc in the beginning and he's more like the hero you would see in a biopic. He's treated poorly by almost everyone because he was out there trying his best to create something. He's got vision but neither the capital nor the idea to realize it. The movie also shows that he had a lot of good business ideas that represented why he was so valuable. He tries new things like targeting blue-collar franchisees instead of the rich and he's dedicated to maintaining a high standard of quality. He's not afraid to roll up his sleeves to do it either. Don't get me wrong, Kroc is a villain and you'll hate him by the end but I appreciated how the movie didn't just distract you from the fact he was essential to this operation.

Having seen The Founder now, I can't believe that it didn't garner some consideration for Best Picture. But the bigger surprise is that there weren't any nominations for Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor come out of this. I think this may be Michael Keaton's best work, considering his recent output (Birdman and Spotlight) I think that's a pretty big compliment. He conveys such a wide range of emotions through just his facial expressions. He brings some warmth to Kroc at the start but he's frightening when Kroc's motivations turn more sinister. I liked Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch just as much. They seemed to have a real rapport as brothers, they brought some comedic relief early in the movie but they both really sell the drama at the end. B.J. Novak and Laura Dern were good in their supporting parts. Linda Cardellini was a scene-stealer in her parts with Michael Keaton.

If I had a complaint with this movie, although the first 20 minutes was important to setup Kroc as a character, the movie was pretty slow at that point. It picks up though when he gets to San Bernardino and it didn't suffer any pacing problems after that point. The other thing I would like to talk about is that those of you who always want a happy ending, don't expect one here. The ending was a real gut-punch, the events that happen made me want to yell at the screen. To provoke that kind of reaction from me means the movie did it's job.

The Founder is a great mix of being informative about a restaurant chain that some of us come into contact with almost everyday. It also provides the right amount of drama to keep things interesting. I really enjoyed this movie and I wish it had gotten the awards attention I think it deserved. It has more mass appeal than the distributor gave it credit for. It hits the notes you need to see in a biopic but it provides more perspective and development than other similar titles. If you can find this at a theatre near you, go check it out.

I'm Lovin' It

[CinemaClown · 5 April 2017]

A competently crafted, steadily paced & extensively researched biographical drama that's further uplifted by Michael Keaton's fantastic performance, The Founder covers the rags to riches tale of an ambitious salesman who sensed & tapped the potential of a small fast-food diner in California and turned it into one of the largest & most successful restaurant chains in the world with a bit of hustle, persistence & ruthlessness.

Set in the 1950s, The Founder tells the story of Ray Kroc, a travelling salesman who comes across a small diner operated by two McDonald brothers in San Bernardino, California and is left dazzled by their lightning-fast service, high-quality food & strong work ethic. Wanting to be a part of their business, he joins them as their franchising agent to expand the fast-food chain all over America, and ultimately buys the company from the brothers.

Directed by John Lee Hancock, The Founder is as much about the cut-throat world of business as it is about the rise of McDonald's, and is told in an intuitive manner that keeps the interest alive at all times. Hancock handles the subject matter with restraint, maintains a firm grip over all aspects, and never deviates from the main premise. Also, the momentum is never lost as it moves from the discovery, creation, operation & expansion of McDonald's to the ultimate swindling.

The old style McDonald's restaurants depicted in the film are in tune with the timeline this film is set in and the vast countryside shooting locations help in further evoking its 1950s era. The sharp focus & still handling of camera, in addition to its warm colour palette, helps in providing a homely texture to its images. Editing keeps the pace steady and provides a tight & gripping structure to its plot while Carter Burwell's score is ever present in the background and silently performs its duties.

Coming to the performances, The Founder features a talented cast in Michael Keaton, John Carroll Lynch, Nick Offerman, Linda Cardellini, Patrick Wilson, B.J. Novak & Laura Dern. Leading from the front is Keaton who delivers another strong performance in what's the second coming of his acting career as he brings Kroc to life with flair, passion & panache. Lynch & Offerman are in as McDonald brothers and play their part convincingly, plus the moments between them & Kroc is as amusing as it is riveting.

On an overall scale, The Founder is a carefully investigated & smartly scripted biopic that's just as informative as it is entertaining and wonderfully illustrates the rise of the man who dared to dream bigger and single-handedly turned a small fast-food restaurant into a billion-dollar conglomerate with his aggressive business practices. It's also commendable for keeping Kroc's personal life out of the main narrative, something most Hollywood biopics are guilty of. A mostly satisfying journey, this story of McDonald's made me go "I'm Lovin' It" more than once over the course of its runtime, and is definitely worth a shot.

The Founder (2017)

[rockman182 · 7/10 · 5 February 2017]

This film is not really what you expect it to be. Upon first glance at the trailer you would think its the story of the founder of McDonalds who comes from nothing and works hard to start a global fast food chain. That's really not what this was about. I would say this film is quite unique; I never expected the roots of a popular fast food chain to get a film. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued to see the film though. Overall, I'd say its a mixed bag with a stronger first section than second.

Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc, a down out of luck milk shake mixer salesman, who one day stumbles upon a restaurant owned by the McDonald brothers. This restaurant innovative service where orders are made in 30 seconds or less, through the technical setup of equipment, staff, and assembly line-like practices. Kroc becomes enamored with the idea of fast food chains and eventually sets into motion multiple stores around the country, much to the brothers behest. Kroc is not a lovable guy at all, if anything he is an extremely selfish, self-motivated snake who betrays his partners and family. Keaton is perfectly fine in this yet again continuing his acting resurgence.

There is betrayal and greed at every turn, thus the films marketing doesn't prepare you for the type of greedy character seen in Kroc. It is what it is and this is probably how many business men get ahead in life. It was interesting to hear the McDonald brothers story and seeing just how the first store started up. As stated earlier, the film starts off very engaging but goes through lapses of being uninteresting despite being in an unfamiliar place from a storytelling perspective.

I wasn't sure if this was going to be one of the Oscar season pictures but after seeing it I can see why it isn't because it becomes too generic and doesn't really offer much worth talking about besides a story that may be shocking to people. I'm not really sure if its a film we needed but at the very least you may be interested to see the history of probably the most recognizable fast food chain in the world. They should rename this film The Thief.

6.5/10

Well make good cast redundant story

[basuracan · 1/10 · 19 July 2022]

So a middle class, country club member, old white man becomes a multi-millionaire old white man by screwing over a bunch of people including his first wife who supportive of him when he wasn't a multi-millionaire. "ONLY IN AMERICA!"

Made me furious which means it's good

[mistoppi · 7/10 · 15 July 2017]

Sometimes you choose to watch a movie just because it has one of your favourite actors, but you can't imagine how many feelings you will get from that movie. I got exactly one feeling and that is hate towards Ray Kroc and the whole McDonalds franchise. I don't know how this film was supposed to present Kroc, because if its point is to idolise him even the slightest, I'm just even more furious about the whole thing.

I got to appreciate Michael Keaton though. He doesn't portray Kroc simply as an asshole, even though that's what he is. We still see him as the jerk he was, since his actions are shown as ruthless as they were. Now of course in the capitalist wonderland this all might seem admirable, but the audience should be able to see that ruthlessness as something other than "business blah blah blah" or whatever it is to those same asshole businessmen.

I mean I could go to a full anti-capitalist speech here, but perhaps I shouldn't. After all the fact that this movie made me actually feel something this strongly and made me think means it's a very well made movie. I didn't really have time to consider the technical side of the movie since I was mostly thinking about how angry the story made me and how much I wanted to punch Kroc.

The Founder can be a bit boring at times but it definitely makes you think about the capitalist s##thole that is the US and it's business world, and it makes you angry. Of course I'm not here to tell you what to think.

Who would think a film about McDonald's would be this interesting?

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 20 December 2017]

I was actually surprised when it was over, because the movie had gone by so fast. Who knew a film about McDonald's would be this interesting? Of course Michael Keaton has no problem diving into the character of wheeler dealer Ray Kroc. His perfect foil is Nick Offerman as Dick McDonald, deadpan, a solid rock of a man with strong ideas about integrity. John Carroll Lynch as Mac McDonald, Dick's brother, a taller but more accommodating man, is also outstanding. Linda Cardinelli as Joan Smith, eventually to be Joan Kroc, is quite lovely and looks good in the period costumes. At the end of the film Kroc offers what are now, I believe, called "alternative facts" about the founding of McDonald's. The film is very much about two different visions of America as reflected in two different approaches to business.

For car buffs, this film is a must, with many fine 1950s vehicles on display.

The Real Story of a Real Jerk

[Ben_Cap · 6/10 · 21 January 2017]

McDonald's has been one of if not the most influential brands in the world. It has been a staple of not only American fast food but American life, whether you like like it or not. Going into The Founder I did not know a lot Ray Kroc, other than that he was in some way involved with the mega chain. Turns out Kroc is a real piece of work, and while there were things about this story that interested me, overall what we get is the tale of an asshole and how he succeeded in screwing some people out of a lot of money. This is where the movie runs into its main problem, half the time it feels like praying at the alter of Kroc, and the other half feels like a pulled punch to the gut of ultra-capitalists.

The first act tells about Kroc struggling as a milkshake mixer salesman, when he discovers a restaurant unlike any of the others that he has visited. The speed of service, the consistency of the quality of the food and the way it brought the community together draws Kroc to the burger shack known as McDonald's. The rest of the movie plays out with Kroc slowly bleeding the McDonald brothers of their company and really the original intention of the restaurant. Kroc did implement some innovations that pushed McDonald's into a worldwide franchise, but these moments mostly come after the events of the movie. The innovative ideas that we do see are almost exclusively created by the McDonald brothers, who as previously stated basically get screwed the whole movie.

Michael Keaton is probably looking right back at you from both sides of the screen right now, so you have probably figured out he plays an important role here. Keaton plays it with his normal light comedy tone, which would work perfectly if the movie had embraced it more. I have no idea what Ray Kroc is like so I really don't know if he was anything like Keaton's performance, but darn it if he is not enjoyable to watch. When Kroc begins his descent into jerk off Keaton is professional enough to pull off the switch in character just enough to keep the original idea of him intact. For the most part everyone else just pops in and out. Nick Offerman and John Carrol Lynch play the McDonald brothers who come and go quite regularly, again mostly getting screwed. Poor Laura Dern plays Kroc's first wife, who is relegated to the bummer at home. She never gets to be anything but disappointing which in turn, is disappointing.

The McDonald brothers main concern for franchising their restaurant, which had taken them years to perfect just the way they wanted it was that the quality of the food would suffer and thus the name would suffer. Now some 60 odd years later it is funny to think about how that is exactly what happened, and there in lies the main problem with The Founder. There is no critical look at the moves Kroc made. They don't fully back his decisions, but they also don't condemn them. This movie needed a side to take, with it stuck in the middle the story becomes so much less than it could have been. It's like if The Big Short did not make up its mind when it comes to the bankers that caused the financial meltdown.

My final thoughts on the movie are pretty simple, there is an interesting story here, where in some ways the world was changed for the better, and some for the worse. I just don't believe it was told in the right way, and while not an incredibly important tale was one that was not difficult to sit through. at an hour and 55 minute run time, The Founder just sneaks under the magic 2 hour mark, but honestly could have been about 15 minutes shorter. There was something here, but with the tone of the movie stuck on the fence, The Founder is pretty forgettable.

The Founder!

[SameirAli · 8/10 · 13 January 2017]

The story of the "founder" of Mc Donald's and how he made it from a single shop to the largest leading firm in food industry.

Ray Kroc is a desperate salesman trying to sell his product, a milkshake maker that no one needs. To his surprise, he gets an order for 6 machines. He cannot believe it and calls them back if it was true and to add to his surprise, the quantity was raised to 8. He himself goes to the restaurant to see the elegant and professionalism maintained by the brothers called Mac & Dick. Their restaurant is called Mc Donald's. Ray was eager to know their story and the brothers explains all their trade secrets. Ray couldn't sleep that night and goes back to the brothers with a new proposal. Here begins the story of the business tycoon Mc Donald's.

The movie is amazing in all the ways. The director was successful in making the movie very involving and entertaining. Beautiful camera visuals, color tone and production design add to this retro tone of the movie. Performance of the actors are highlight of the movie. Rapid editing makes it a very fast movie with very less or no lagging. This movie is going to shine at the Oscars for sure.

After watching the movie, at-least half of the audience will quit McD for a few days. The market value of McD will be interesting after the world wide release of the film.

A must watch and highly recommended.

#KiduMovie

Good Movie Poor Man

[damianphelps · 7/10 · 19 April 2023]

I need to seperate the movie and the person Ray Kroc.

The movie is quite fantastic and does a superb job of outlining the story of Maccas.

Keaton is brilliant and the supporters Offerman and Carroll Lynch are just as good. Its entertaining and engaging.

Now Mr Kroc. It took me a while to determine how I felt about the man (based only from his portrayl in the movie). He was motivated, ambitous, creative and as was mentioned persistant. Should he have felt slightly aggrieved when the brothers refused to help him when he nearly went broke...probably. He is clearly the primary force behind the Maccas we have today.

What was the deciding factor for me in determining Mr Kroc was not much of a human being? The handshake for royalties. He shook hands on a deal and then renigged on it. That's not what an honourable person does. The McDonalds family missed out on millions of dollars. The Kroc family then donate millions to charity but couldn't send some to the family of creation??? Weak.

Powdered milk genuine performance.

[Quietb-1 · 8/10 · 8 December 2016]

Michael Keaton gives an award worthy performance as burger mogul Ray Kroc. The burgers sizzle as does Keaton who carries this story on his back and keeps this bio pic extremely interesting.

Kroc comes across as a ruthless devil as he eventually takes everything from the original well acted burger brothers. The relationship with the next wife Joan is played just subtle enough.

The period look is outstanding. The cars, clothes, and people are perfect. A great script well directed and acted makes for an excellent movie.

The movie is in limited release and doesn't need a big screen. It's a small movie that will play well on home platforms. Even vegetarians will sink there teeth into this juicy piece of story telling.

Ironic, isn't it !!

[mandala-4 · 7/10 · 26 January 2017]

I'm not gonna write a synopsis of this film; others have done that already. Small town salesman stumbles on the chance of a lifetime, and from it creates a food empire. Along the way, things start to change. Against the noble-minded but provincial McDonald brothers, Ray Kroc struggles upstream, good-hearted American dream seeker at first, then insidiously segueing into the vicious, cannibalistic uber-capitalist that he insists is absolutely necessary to establish great marches for himself.

Well acted, well done, this movie tells the story chillingly well. Keaton, with his indomitable go-forward-and-blitz-the-opposition really knocked my socks off. To no small manner was his dry, monotonic, gravelly voice expressing his quick, no-nonsense, no-further-argument directives in a manner like orders from a colonel: end-of-story, no questions accepted.

OK, the movie. But why did I call it ironic in my summary? Now, the product. A few years back I showed the movie "Supersize me" to a class of high school students. For those of you who don't know, it's a doc of a healthy young man who eats nothing but super-sized McDonald's burgers, fries and cokes (not diet cokes either) for a month. Afterward, he was obese and diagnosed with a variety of ailments that took a lot longer than the month he OD'ed on his McGorgings. So, putting these two films side by side is the iron: A man with very questionable ethics creates a gonzo empire that sells a product with questionable health value. What would the original McDonald brothers think about those burgers now? I wonder what goes into them? Oh, yes, I've eaten plenty of them, in a few places here and abroad. I'll give the movie a solid B+.

Nearly as good as The Social Network

[Leofwine_draca · 10/10 · 1 January 2018]

THE FOUNDER is a film much like Fincher's THE SOCIAL NETWORK: a business-based biopic that sounds rather dull on the page, but which turns out to be spellbinding when on the screen. It's a tale looking at the inception and growth of McDonald's in the 1950s in the hands of the ruthless salesman Ray Kroc, who saw potential in a small business and made it into the franchise it is today. The film is lengthy but perfectly made with just the right pace, and the acting from the principal players is exemplary: Michael Keaton is fully enjoying his career renaissance and as good as he was in SPOTLIGHT, while John Carroll Lynch brings the same heart to the film as he did to FARGO. As with THE SOCIAL NETWORK, this turns out to be less about business and success than about the human capacity for greed and ruthlessness, and man's ability to step on his fellow man in order to reach the top of the ladder. It's remarkably engaging.

Came for Michael Keaton, left to buy a shake and fries.

[eddiespn · 7/10 · 28 June 2020]

If you're a Michael Keaton fan, you'll enjoy this movie. He was born to play a salesman. And that's what this movie basically is, a tale about a hardworking salesman. Through hard work, determination, and thinking constantly on ideas to become more successful (with some help from others sometimes), a middle aged struggling salesman can find success when dealt the right cards. Meanwhile the people who invent the possible goldmine business aren't always capable and the best people to progress the idea into greater fortune.

This is a good movie for a business major to watch. Some of the tricks of the trade by what Keaton's character discovered that would make McDonald's grow in popularity and in fortune is common knowledge nowadays, but you still cant help but root him on as he discovers these things. The McDonald brothers on the other hand are too scared to risk anything and are content with what they already accomplished. In this film you see examples of stubbornness on both sides of the main characters, but showing it in opposite ways.The 'go getter' vs the 'we already did's'. Watch this movie if you want to get inspired to go get the already did's and try to show them that everything can be better. Oh and warning, you might get a craving to go eat at McDonald's.

A missed opportunity

[justinwfirestone · 5/10 · 29 January 2017]

I'd heard, jokingly, that The Founder was a remake of the Social Network, but instead of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg, it's Ray Kroc and McDonald's. By all accounts, this should have been a captivating movie starring Michael Keaton who seems to be getting better with age.

The Founder never really commits to a clear picture of who the McDonald brothers were, nor who was Ray Kroc. The McDonald brothers are certainly somewhere on the autism spectrum. What other personality type would have wanted to or could have invented fast food? Their quirkiness is bemusing and not much else. We instead see more glimpses into Ray Kroc, who might be a psychopath, a salesman who knows McDonald's could spread across the globe. He emerges from a vapid life into one of billions, becoming a ruthless monster who refuses to let anyone stand in the way of his vision. He even employs selective memory and conveniently overlooks all the hard work it took to establish the Speedee system, all the exploited labor that served the billions.

The biggest question left open is whether Ray Kroc was a psychopath before, or after, he became rich and powerful. The movie ignores pretty much every social aspect of commodity consumption and capitalizing on other people's work. What we are left with is about as satisfying as a Filet-O-Fish.

A contradictory American fable that cannot fully define it's titular 'Founder'

[DarthVoorhees · 6/10 · 13 May 2017]

'The Founder' tries it's hardest to be subversive. It really wants to be bold in dissecting Americana and McDonald's. The problem is that McDonald's has seeped so far into the American consciousness that 'The Founder' seeps into fear because it cannot take that extra step. 'The Founder' doesn't know if it wants to demonize Kroc or celebrate him and it is the film's achilles heal. Kroc as written is kind of all over the place. The truth is the one thing Kroc was exceptional at was being a predatory capitalist. The movie understands this to some degree and these are the best moments of the film. 'The Founder' acknowledges Kroc's faults but it really badly wants to still celebrate the whole myth of a failing milk shake machine salesman pulling himself up by his bootstraps and making good. You can't have your cake and eat it too here.

'The Founder' is saved by it's performances. Michael Keaton is exceptional and tries his hardest with this uneven script. In essence he is playing two characters, Kroc the dreamer who says the Golden Arches will be a staple in every town's sky across the country. Keaton does good here and for a while brings out the charm in such a character. The problem is such material is uninteresting because it's become as cliché and mundane as a Big Mac. The more interesting piece of the performance is Keaton as the sleazy manipulative Kroc. It's a part that perfectly fits his sense of humor and irony. The best moment of the film comes across when Kroc explains that he wanted the atmosphere of McDonalds more so than the actual hamburger preparation process. He delivers the material in such a way that we see that this character has been two- faced literally the entire film. It's a brilliant scene and it makes me wish the entire movie had been from this vantage point but it can't because we need to see Kroc deliver schmaltzy Capra corn speeches before he twists the knife in the McDonald brothers.

Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch are brilliant but they too don't have much to work with until the final act. When we meet the McDonald brothers they are doughy bright eyed business men. They essentially become puppies we get to see kicked over and over again. That being said I like the evolution of the characters. The movie it's self would have been more interesting if it were told from their point of view instead of Kroc's. Their story is more interesting and more relevant to the McDonald's myth. You expect an aw shucks attitude when the McDonald's business slips through their hands but the characters develop a cynicism. It's sad when they realize that their entrepreneurial spirit won't be enough to save them. Offerman and Lynch both have a warmth but when they turn angry and depressed it gets to you.

'The Founder' is a mixed bag. Like 'Saving Mr. Banks' and it's Disney exploration I think American pop culture doesn't have the courage to fully condemn McDonald's. A half condemnation like this isn't effective for the story being told. The Keaton fan will enjoy some moments of fine acting. The sad fact is that this really is just a rags to riches bio pic with unfulfilled promises of dissecting deeper material. I suppose you should just be glad the film didn't go to the other extreme and canonize Kroc.