Review of The Founder (2016) by Alan W — 25 Jan 2017

Based on the true story how McDonald's changed the way we consume food and became the international conglomerate it is now, this understating film is told in a very matter of fact way and solidly assembled under the safe hands of John Lee Hancock who directed The Blind Side and Saving Mr.

Banks. It is therefore mainly down to the story itself (a fascinating one that I confess I was not aware of until I saw the film) and the performance of Michael Keaton as the titular Founder, Ray Kroc, to make the film watchable and engaging.

If truth be known, it is probably not easy to make this film any other way. At least, Keaton plays his character with nuance and a level of humanity that seems even handed, and most importantly, without recourse to demonisation.

Neither does the film comes across as a feature length advertisement, though a different filmmaker might have more to say about the reversal of the company's original approach of quality over profit margins.

While this is still part of the story and shown as the dividing line between Kroc and the original McDonald brothers, there isnt much depth in its depiction other as a narrative device for both humour (at first) and then drama later.

In the end, the film is 'nice' enough but for a film about the power of marketing, it lacks the bite that is needed to make it stand out from films of its genre.