THE FOUNDER

THE FOUNDER

THE FOUNDER: A 

I found this film to be very good on all levels. I appreciated the harsh, yet accurateness of the story. If you fact check what happens in the movie compared to what happened in real life, it is, with a few minor changes, very accurate. 

I read a biography on Ray Kroc when I was in high school. I wish I remembered more but two things about the book that I do remember that were different than the movie. For one when Kroc began to have ideas about McDonalds he sought out every successful businessman and millionaire that would give him the time of day. The movie made him seem a bit more innovative and as if his ideas came from his own intuition when in reality he was more the type to get as much advice as he could and take it. The film did depict this to a degree though, so I appreciated that.

Secondly, at least from what I remember about the novel it seemed as if he was out to make McDonalds and the profits of McDonalds all in his own from the start. Whereas the movie makes it seem more like at first he wanted to include the McDonald's brothers in the success of the restaurant, but their stubbornness and lack of vision, along with the roadblocks they put up against them made Kroc bitter and resentful against the brothers and that's why in the end he royally screwed them.

Not going to call that an inaccuracy though, simply a different interpretation of what happened because fact checking the actuality could lead one to both conclusions.

The performances were very good. Michael Keaton was great, as was Nick Offerman. I thought John Carroll Lynch was exceptionally good in this film. Of all films I've seen him in, I was most impressed with this role.

From the feel of the film, it feels that the director put a lot of trust in his crew and sat back allowing and trusting them to help make this movie a success. I guess I don't know that for sure, but it feels that he gave the actors a lot of freedom in their roles.

I love bio-pics and this one was a good one.

Little piece of trivia that I'll post as its own post as well that I think Iowans would be tickled to know. Fred Turner, the hard working lad that Kroc eventually made a the industry executive and CEO of McDonalds is from Des Moines. He graduated from Dowling Catholic and then got his degree from Drake.