Film Review : The Founder (12A)

Based on the true story of McDonald’s, the Founder tells the story of Ray Kroc, his meeting with the McDonald brothers and how the McDonald’s franchise business was established.

Released : Friday 17th February 2017
Rated : 12A
Running Time : 115 minutes 10 seconds
BBFCinsight : Infrequent strong language
Director : John Lee Hancock
Cast Includes : Michael Keaton, Linda Cardellini, Patrick Wilson, Nick Offerman, Laura Dern, B.J. Novak

Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) is a travelling salesman selling multi-mixers for producing milkshakes. Ray’s job is making an endless series of visits to drive-in restaurants where service is slow and far from what one would expect.

One day Ray gets an order of six machines from McDonald’s restaurants in San Bernardino. Thinking the order is a mistake he calls the restaurant to clarify the order only to be told that the order should be eight and to get the machines delivered as quickly as possible. From the sound in the background during the phone call the McDonald’s restaurant is very busy.

Ray travels to San Bernardino to see the restaurant for himself and to his surprise he is greeted with a very efficient, clean and well run operation with large queues of customers. Rather than waiting thirty minutes the meals are ready in thirty seconds thanks to the McDonald’s Speedee system.

The McDonald brothers give Ray a tour of their kitchen and Ray is hooked, he is determined to franchise the business and be part of it. The film then tells the story of how Ray Kroc created the McDonald’s Corporation which today is one of the largest companies in the world and has become part of modern day society.

Review

Written by Robert D. Siegel (The Wrestler) and director John Lee Hancock (Saving Mr Banks) this film is educational, entertaining and enlightening.

I really enjoyed the film and discovering the story of McDonald’s. This film is a must-see, it’s a story of persistence, perseverance, determination to progress and create a world wide brand that has become part of everyone’s lives.

Ray Kroc was undoubtedly a visionary who could see the potential in what the McDonald brothers had created even though the brothers themselves were happy to have just one restaurant. Many may say that Ray’s circumvention of the McDonald brothers was unethical but if Ray had not persisted there would McDonald’s and fast food would not be part of the world today.