'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.
'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.