By Steven Young

youngst@mnstate.edu

    McDonald’s is worth one hundred ten billion dollars (Forbes 2016), but that hasn’t always been the case.

    A new movie called “The Founder” takes you inside the rise of the famous fast food chain, McDonald’s.  Michael Keaton stars as Ray Kroc, a persistent, driven, slimy—yet charming—man who’s trying to become the “founder” of a (then) hot new fast food joint. As we follow his journey to the top and see his falls from grace, we find out just how much work it took to make McDonald’s the food chain empire it is today.

    One of the picture’s strong points is its wonderful actors. Keaton is in top form, giving an enticing performance as Kroc. It echoes previous portrayals of such figures, such as Michael Douglas as Gordon Gecko in “Wall Street.”

    Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch play the McDonalds brothers who actually founded the business. In contrast to Kroc, they are far more likeable, enough for the audience to want them to win against Kroc. The other actors expertly portray their characters, and the film itself is as accurate as it can be to its 1950s setting.

    If there’s one fault with the film, it is that certain moments could have been expanded on; as is, the run time feels rather short. However, this is not a major problem and should not detract from the film’s overall quality.

    If you are looking for an engaging, fast and satisfying piece of history told on film, look no further than “The Founder.” While it may be too fast for its own good, it offers the audience a captivating experience with an electrifying  performance by Keaton. It’s a shame it was not nominated for awards, as it was more than deserving  of some.