Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

saru-88447 McDonalds: A hell of a good inspirational story. Just about how the founder found a way to own the land and to lease the property to the franchise to run the business all over the world. The story of a man who succeded with huge persistence and determination but not with talent or education as it clearly states that this world is full of educated fools.

Anthony Iessi McDonald's is a Kroc, in more ways than one. One of the world's greatest swindles was how an average schmuck was able to discover an ingenious fast food restaurant and pull the rug out from under the humble owners. McDonald's is a global fast food empire, but not in the ways that you might have thought it was. The Founder is truth to power, and it's a great film. Ray Kroc, portrayed here by Michael Keaton is as toxic to look at and listen to as eating a single McFlurry. He is slimy, gross and crooked, but that's what makes The Founder so intoxicating to watch. Ironically enough, this film about a businessman taking advantage of others was brought to the silver screen by Harvey Weinstein. I know art can at times imitate life, but this is ridiculous. I guess Weinstein, in that sense, is a kindred spirit to Kroc. Nice guys sadly finish last.

blapple90 For as much as I went to McDonald's when I was younger I think I just had to go see the film solely based on that. I am glad I did though because even though I learned about how McDonald's was founded back in the day it was a good reminder of how everything actually went down. The acting in this was great and gave you a good feel about how all of the different characters would have reacted to what was happening when all of this actually played out

gcsman A whole lot of the physical structure of our society was invented, or built, in the 1950's. One could make a good argument that nothing as sweeping happened again for more than 40 years (till the appearance of the internet and everything that has come with it). A great discussion of all this can be found in David Halberstam's excellent book "The Fifties", which I highly recommend. Among other things, in the 50's, suburbs and suburban housing were invented, as were the interstate highway network, the modern auto industry, widespread air travel for the millions. So were rock music and the invention of "youth" as a separate societal group and marketing target. TV wasn't invented in the Fifties but that's when it exploded into a major cultural force by taking over every living room in the nation.And, of course, fast food restaurants. That's what this movie is about - the invention and growth of an entirely new category of food marketing and consumption, which has now taken over the world. That's the basis of the storyline, but the heart of it is Michael Keaton's portrayal of Ray Kroc, the franchiser who took the first steps to turn a single little restaurant in San Bernardino into the McDonald's Corporation juggernaut it now is -- the world's largest restaurant chain and the first of many other such franchises that soon followed. Keaton is in practically every scene (even if just as a voice at the other end of a telephone call) and watching him work is like sitting in on a master class in acting. In his hands, Kroc comes to life as a cocky small-time businessman restlessly searching for The Big Break that will make his career, After a partly-by-chance meeting with the McDonald brothers, who are the true inventors of the fast-food methodology, he sees just what he's been looking for, and from then on he pursues it relentlessly. What we see is that Ray doesn't actually 'invent' anything. But the one thing he is very good at is recognizing good advice and opportunity when it comes along, and seizing it. As it turns out -- at least in this portrayal -- he pursues this ultimate American Dream at the cost of his humanity and even of fair business dealings. There aren't many actors as adept as Keaton at seamlessly inhabiting the inner nature of his movie characters and making them totally real people with all their good and bad sides together.There are a lot of good supporting parts. Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch play Dick and Mac McDonald and they're a completely delightful pair to watch (even if they don't look at all like brothers). The scene where they actually invent the best operational layout for their restaurant -- and thus where they conjure out of thin air the essence of the entire fast-food business -- is a wonderfully choreographed bit of cinema to watch; I can't think of anything else like it in the movies. The great Laura Dern, who plays Ray's long-suffering first wife, is excellent but is once again underused, as she is so often. Linda Cardellini and Patrick Wilson have nice parts as a couple who Ray uses as more steps up the ladder.As a story, this film can be seen either as a character comedy or an American tragedy. In the end, director John Lee Hancock seems to opt for the latter.