Film ReviewsThe Founder: Franchise, Franchise, Franchise
Jul 21, 2017 Anchorage Press
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What if Beetlejuice had been an unscrupulous capitalist? It would have been like Beetlejuice playing Michael Keaton playing Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonald’s, in John Lee Hancock’s biopic The Founder.
The Founder is not only the name of the film, but it’s also the title that traveling salesman Ray Kroc gave himself upon usurping ownership of an emerging chain of little restaurants called “McDonald’s” from their rightful founders, the McDonald brothers, Richard “Dick” and Maurice “Mac,” played by Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch, respectively. The Founder takes viewers on a fast-paced journey of Kroc’s ascension from a two-bit salesman scrambling for sales and to stay relevant into his early 50s, to the “founder” of a multi-million dollar corporation anchored in fast food and land ownership.
Michael Keaton delivers a solid performance, but he brings his signature acting style that unfortunately reminds viewers of every character he’s ever played, especially when he delivers, “Franchise, Franchise, Franchise,” echoing the infamous “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” line from the 1988 film. This adds a little bit of humor and then fades into the plot as the character of Kroc becomes obsessed with the franchise and driving profits through the stratosphere. The film boasts of a solid cast, many of whom are underutilized, including Laura Dern as Kroc’s wife, Ethel.
The almost inconsequential, yet great performances by the supporting cast of Dern, B.J. Novak, Linda Cardellini and Kate Kneeland may be a result of a script that plays more like an outline and less like a narrative. Clearly, Kroc succeeds in his endeavors. This is evidenced as he moves though the timeline and toward affluence, leaving behind anything that stands in his way or slows him down. As a result, many insights are glossed over or bypassed for the sake of moving the plot along as if on an assembly line— very similarly to how fast food is produced.
Hancock paints a picture of Kroc as a bully, tyrant and an unapologetic and unkind person. The McDonald brothers refer to Kroc as the wolf in the hen house. Kroc pushes his agenda no matter what, and at anyone’s expense, including his (first) wife’s and business partners. Kroc is callous, straddling psychotic. The film draws attention to the shifting values in American business ethics from a heartfelt belief in the core of American identity to a practice in which these values are simply tools to be used; thus, redefining how success is achieved and valued. On the larger scheme of things, the founding of McDonald’s in the 1950s through the execution of Kroc’s modus operandi is a symbol of the practice by which someone can become successful without ever having an original idea, just as long as they can impose their will on other and have no qualms about causing destruction and destituteness as they go along. Kroc’s practices set the foundation of McDonald’s world empire that has made it one of the biggest global land holders and has one percent of the world as its client. Kroc, as delivered by Keaton and Hancock, is a blueprint for the type of a super-sized person that by 2016 could easily be elected President of the United States.
Beartooth
PG-13Rated PG-13 for brief strong language
The story of McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc.
Showing on Monday July 24 2017 2:30 PM (115 Minutes)
The Founder is not only the name of the film, but it’s also the title that traveling salesman Ray Kroc gave himself upon usurping ownership of an emerging chain of little restaurants called “McDonald’s” from their rightful founders, the McDonald brothers, Richard “Dick” and Maurice “Mac,” played by Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch, respectively. The Founder takes viewers on a fast-paced journey of Kroc’s ascension from a two-bit salesman scrambling for sales and to stay relevant into his early 50s, to the “founder” of a multi-million dollar corporation anchored in fast food and land ownership.
Michael Keaton delivers a solid performance, but he brings his signature acting style that unfortunately reminds viewers of every character he’s ever played, especially when he delivers, “Franchise, Franchise, Franchise,” echoing the infamous “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” line from the 1988 film. This adds a little bit of humor and then fades into the plot as the character of Kroc becomes obsessed with the franchise and driving profits through the stratosphere. The film boasts of a solid cast, many of whom are underutilized, including Laura Dern as Kroc’s wife, Ethel.
The almost inconsequential, yet great performances by the supporting cast of Dern, B.J. Novak, Linda Cardellini and Kate Kneeland may be a result of a script that plays more like an outline and less like a narrative. Clearly, Kroc succeeds in his endeavors. This is evidenced as he moves though the timeline and toward affluence, leaving behind anything that stands in his way or slows him down. As a result, many insights are glossed over or bypassed for the sake of moving the plot along as if on an assembly line— very similarly to how fast food is produced.
Hancock paints a picture of Kroc as a bully, tyrant and an unapologetic and unkind person. The McDonald brothers refer to Kroc as the wolf in the hen house. Kroc pushes his agenda no matter what, and at anyone’s expense, including his (first) wife’s and business partners. Kroc is callous, straddling psychotic. The film draws attention to the shifting values in American business ethics from a heartfelt belief in the core of American identity to a practice in which these values are simply tools to be used; thus, redefining how success is achieved and valued. On the larger scheme of things, the founding of McDonald’s in the 1950s through the execution of Kroc’s modus operandi is a symbol of the practice by which someone can become successful without ever having an original idea, just as long as they can impose their will on other and have no qualms about causing destruction and destituteness as they go along. Kroc’s practices set the foundation of McDonald’s world empire that has made it one of the biggest global land holders and has one percent of the world as its client. Kroc, as delivered by Keaton and Hancock, is a blueprint for the type of a super-sized person that by 2016 could easily be elected President of the United States.
Beartooth
PG-13Rated PG-13 for brief strong language
The story of McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc.
Showing on Monday July 24 2017 2:30 PM (115 Minutes)