Review of The Founder (2016) by Beecee — 07 Feb 2017

Having lived most of my life in Southern California, I had heard that McDonald's was started in San Bernardino by someone named McDonald. But I had never heard the full story of Ray Kroc. Michael Keaton was criminally overlooked in the Oscar nominations as the leading character. He starts out sympathetic, a travelling salesman in his 50's who never quite made it, but hears that a restaurant named McDonald's ordered several milk shake making machines (which he sells) and decides to take a look at the restaurant himself. The McDonald brothers are the inventors, who have tried to franchise their restaurant but were unsuccessful. Kroc figures out how to do this, but along the way his determination turns to ambition and greed. This is an interesting look at why the marketers, not the inventors, frequently succeed in our economy. The McDonald brothers are the most sympathetic characters, but McDonald's would never have become what it is today without Kroc.

This is also an interesting look at the young Joan Kroc, Ray's second wife, who is known to many San Diegans as the former owner of the Padres, patron of the arts, and philanthropist.