In the last decade, we have seen a plethora of biopics or films based on true stories, and these stories have run the gambit of subject matter. We've seen films about kings, queens, presidents, terrorist events, natural disasters, sports figures, singers, and, well the list goes on and on. Now we have a story about the founding and building of a global franchise in this offing titled "The Founder".
This is the story of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a milkshake salesman in Illinois who turned two brothers' innovative fast food eatery, McDonald's, into one of the biggest restaurant businesses in the world with a combination of ambition, persistence and ruthlessness.
This chronicles Kroc's work transforming McDonald's from a small burger chain in 1954 California to a global franchise. Along the way, he wrests control of the company from its actual founders, the McDonald Brothers, Dick (Nick Offerman) and Mac (John Carroll Lynch), who believe that Kroc's business decisions are stripping the restaurant of its heart and soul. This truly becomes a real cat and mouse game between Kroc and the McDonald brothers with others playing buffer between them.
Others to round out the cast are Linda Cardellini as Joan Smith, B.J. Novak as Harry J. Sonneborn, Laura Dern as Ethel Kroc, Ray's wife, Justin Randell Brooke as Fred Turner, Kate Kneeland as June Martino, Ray's secretary, Patrick Wilson as Rollie Smith, Griff Furst as Jim Zien, Wilbur Fitzgerald as Jerry Cullen and David de Vries as Jack Horford.
This was directed in a gutsy way by John Lee Hancock ("Hard Time Romance" '91, "The Rookie" '02, "The Alamo" '04, "The Blind Side" '09, "Saving Mr. Banks" '13) plus TV. I say gutsy because of the way he was able to exude Keaton's role as Kroc with that in your face emotion, which made it much more believable. This has got to be the best film Hancock has done to date, which is saying something considering the work in Hancock's resume. It was well written by Robert Siegel ("The Onion Movie" '08, "The Wrestler" '08, "Big Fan" '09, "Turbo" '13, "Cruise" '16). Other than a couple of very small slow areas within the storyline, this script was cohesive, tight and effective. The performance by Keaton was phenomenal as Kroc--he must've done his homework. Although, since his comeback, his best performance has got to be "Birdman", however this is certainly one of his best, and the supporting cast was effective and worked well to allow Keaton's Kroc to bounce their lines off of.
If your type of biopic is one that centers on a colorful, yet rich in development character striving, at any cost, to win, then this is the film for you. And with winning performances by all, especially Keaton, this is one film that will not only inform, but will leave you wondering if this is actually based on fact because of the over-the-top character of Kroc.
Out of 4 Stars: 3.5 Rated: PG-13 115mins.
No comments:
Post a Comment