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IRISH EXAMINER | January 18th, 201722 artsexaminer
‘The Founder’ Examines The Rags-To-Riches
Story Behind One Of America’s Most
Successful Businessmen
By Brad Balfour to diminish his own creativi- they are thoughtful or reti- to-riches morality play. It ny, ideally strategic, or lucki-
ty; he made the brothers’ cent to adapt their core ideas needed to get further into
Afilm like “The notion of a simple and effi- for how the business grows. Kroc’s psyche. When this for- ly timed as Trump’s upcom-
Founder” illustrates cient dining experience into When they feared movement mer milk shake machine
what happens when the ultimate franchise. forward, Kroc willingly salesman encounters wealthy ing Presidency unfolds. In
the success you hope for offended to get ahead. In a businessman Rollie Smith
rolls in beyond your Serviceably directed by way, Kroc felt their reticence (Patrick Wilson) he pays many ways, Kroc’s success
wildest dreams. Can an John Lee Hancock (“Saving to embrace and expand their more attention to his wife
entrepreneur remain Mr. Banks”), this film pres- own ideas led him to believe rather than on Smith, who reveals both a positive upside
humble, focused on his ents the narrative of how he better appreciated, and wants to spend millions to
larger goals, or become Kroc went from a long strug- thus, deserved to be master join on the burger train. The and the dark underbelly to
intoxicated by reaching gling Midwestern salesman of McDonald’s than they. film never explores how she
for success and transform into a land developer and a becomes his second and long- American capitalism.
hard-charging drive into hype man for the Horatio And in turn, he royally lasting wife. Such omissions
utter ruthlessness? Alger-ish American Dream. screwed them and everyone made this a lesser film, one Though this movie goes
For him, McDonald’s golden along the way who didn’t that could have examined
In “The Founder,” veteran arches replaced or supplant- propel his vision forward. who Kroc was beyond just about making its case in a
actor Michael Keaton plays ed both flag and church While the narrative almost being another ruthless capi-
legendary businessman Ray steeple. exclusively focused on Kroc’s talist. bare bones, workman-like
Kroc, the man who didn’t ascension to fast food emper-
invent McDonald’s — the Finding the drama in this or, it needed something And given the inaugura- manner, it remains some-
restaurant chain he helmed rags-to-riches tale torn from more make this film some- tion, the film’s upcoming
that became the progenitor a business magazine demand- thing other than a dark rags- release seems either uncan- thing that’s worth viewing.
of the fast food concept and, ed it turn on a set of emo-
ultimately, one of the 20th tional convolutions and con- This film presents an
century’s great mega-corpo- vulsions. Casting such skillful
rations. actors as Keaton or Linda opportunity to understand
Cardellini as Kroc’s second
Though Kroc tried at one wife Joan Smith aided in what motivates a legendary
time to convince the world transforming what could
otherwise, this Illinois native have been a fairly dry narra- capitalist like Kroc. And, by
didn’t create the idea. But, in tive into something lively,
recognizing its effectiveness, even at times, insidious. extension, it offers a chance
brilliantly appropriated the
McDonald Brothers’ idea of a Nick Offerman as Richard to examine the kind of peo-
super-efficient, fast-food ‘Dick’ McDonald and John
restaurant. Kroc took the Carroll Lynch as Maurice ple the billionaire and mil-
idea, and molded it into his ‘Mac’ McDonald, provide the
own vision like so much perfect foils to Keaton’s lionaire capitalists who about
hamburger meat. That’s not Kroc. Where he is relentless,
to run Washington are, or
will be like. C
The Founder Puzzle Solutions
Directed by John Lee Hancock
Starring Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman,
John Carroll Lynch, Laura Dern, Linda
Cardellini
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