The Founder is the story of the early success of McDonalds, the fast-food company. Ray Kroc, a struggling salesman, discovers the original McDonalds in San Bernadino, California. Two brothers, Mac and Dick McDonald, developed a revolutionary method of making food fast. Really fast. Kroc saw the potential of the McDonalds’s brothers discovery and convinced them to let him run a franchising operation. So far, so good. But Kroc wants more. He dumps his first wife, marries his second wife (who was the wife of a McDonalds franchisee), and goes into the real estate business under the guise of selling fast-food franchises. Needless to say, Kroc makes hundreds of millions of dollars. Michael Keaton plays the complex Ray Kroc, Laura Dern plays Kroc’s first, supportive wife. I really liked Nick Offerman as Dick McDonald and John Carroll Lynch as Mac McDonald. If this is really how things went down, Ray Kroc was a snake. GRADE: B+
I love Michael Keaton but there are enough snakes around right now. So this one I will skip. (Probably)
Patti, I was familiar with Ray Kroc’s role in the growth of McDonalds, but I didn’t know what shenanigans he would pull to get his way.
I’ve always heard Kroc was a snake.
As Deb is fond of quoting, Balzac wrote something like: Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.
Jeff, Deb and Balzac are right! Ray Kroc, if the events in THE FOUNDER are accurate, swindled the original McDonalds brothers out of a fortune!
I came here to say what Jeff quoted me quoting Balzac as saying. Yes indeed! You only have to watch the recent cabinet confirmation hearings to know that behind great fortunes are great crimes!
/Like Patti, I think I’ll skip this. Not sure two hours watching a slimeball manouver events so that he can enrich himself to the detriment of others is really what I want to see right now (or, in fact, ever).
Deb, if I was still teaching, I’d offer my students EXTRA CREDIT to see THE FOUNDER. There are a lot of business principles illustrated in Ray Kroc’s actions (not all of them are illegal). But the powerful lure of fame and fortune can warp anybody.
As a San Diego resident, we heard about Ray Kroc after these events, when he owned the Padres. His widow, Joan, did so much good in this area and far beyond, much of it anonymous. One of my Illinois cousins inlaws were earlyish McDonalds franchisees, and were well off. This movie will be at best a netflix for me
Maggie, Joan Kroc left hundreds of millions of dollars to National Public Radio.
George, I don’t go out of my way to watch Michael Keaton, though I intend to watch THE BLIND SIDE.
Prashant, you’ll enjoy THE BLIND SIDE. It features one of Sandra Bullock’s best roles.
I read a biography, or perhaps it was the story of McDonalds, several years ago, but it didn’t focus on creepy business practices, just on growth and success. I wonder how much of the “slime ball” stuff was added for film impact?
Rick, Ray Kroc doesn’t start out as a sleazeball. He’s an unsuccessful salesman who stumbles on a revolutionary way to serve food: McDonalds fast-food system. And slow, Kroc took more and more advantage over the McDonald brothers until he controlled the entire corporation.
Whatever business practices Kroc had – one thing’s clear for us:
McD is the worst fast food chain (maybe subway is as bad) of all – we avoid it if possible at all!
I’m still wondering how people “like” their stuff.
Of course if you want to have a successful business in our modern times you can’t afford any scruples.
Wolf, McDonads caters to kids, young people, and poor people. I haven’t eaten at a McDoanlds in decades.
I’ll pass on this. Maybe when it comes to cable or Netflix. Did see a very good film this Thursday. A Monster Calls. Very well done and well reviewed but it never found a audience. It’s gone from theaters already. Must admit for kids it could be a bit of a downer.
Steve, A MONSTER CALLS opened and closed here in a week. I’ll look for A MONSTER CALLS if it shows up at the cheap show.