Blu-ray Review The Founder Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Todd Erwin]

Todd Erwin

The Founder Blu-ray Review

Michael Keaton was was largely ignored by the Academy for his role as Ray Kroc in The Founder , which was a shame, as it is probably his best performance of his career. The film is a fascinating story of how the McDonald brothers revolutionized the food industry and how one man made it a success and in the process stole it out from under them.

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[Mark Booth]

Excellent film! I've read that it is close enough to historically accurate to assuredly proclaim that Ray Kroc was an a$$hole.

Mark

 

[Lord Dalek]

Weinsteins really bungled this one.

 

[Todd Erwin]

Weinsteins really bungled this one.

Yeah, they put all of their Oscar campaign money behind Lion.

 

[Steve...O]

Great review; thank you Todd.

I loved this film in the theaters and it is a shame it got lost in the shuffle as it is very entertaining and full of great performances.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Great review; thank you Todd.

I loved this film in the theaters and it is a shame it got lost in the shuffle as it is very entertaining and full of great performances.

Same here! It never played at my local cinemas, I had to drive down to Metro Detroit to see it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Excellent film! I've read that it is close enough to historically accurate to assuredly proclaim that Ray Kroc was an a$$hole.

Mark

When it comes to business empire builders, your a$$hole comment reminds me of the following lines in Casablanca:

"I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here"

"your winnings sir"

"oh, thank you very much"

 

[MatthewA]

Indeed, Keaton was excellent, and it's certainly the best work I've seen from John Lee Hancock thus far.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Just watched this film today. Fascinating story. I kind of knew - but never knew the real story of McDonalds.

This is indeed one of Keaton's best performances.

Really great movie!

 

[Todd Erwin]

Please let me know if anyone else is having issues redeeming the digital copy code for this on VUDU.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Please let me know if anyone else is having issues redeeming the digital copy code for this on VUDU.

Todd,

I just redeemed my digital copy on VUDU without any issues.

 

[Edwin-S]

Watched this film a couple of days ago. The film was good. Unfortunately, the film's subject really rankled me. Ray Cock was just a complete P.O.S. I really can't stand assholes who steal someone's work and claim it as their own. I don't frequent McDonalds very much. I have probably been in one about five times in my life. After this film, it will be zero going forward.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Edwin,

Felt the same way about Crock when I recently watched the film. But, really, the man is dead and boycotting his restaurants isn't going to make a difference unless, of course, it's just for personal satisfaction.

I rarely eat McDonalds anyway.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Watched this film a couple of days ago. The film was good. Unfortunately, the film's subject really rankled me. Ray Cock was just a complete P.O.S. I really can't stand assholes who steal someone's work and claim it as their own. I don't frequent McDonalds very much. I have probably been in one about five times in my life. After this film, it will be zero going forward.

"Ray Cock"? I think you watched the wrong movie!

 

[Edwin-S]

Edwin,

Felt the same way about Crock when I recently watched the film. But, really, the man is dead and boycotting his restaurants isn't going to make a difference unless, of course, it's just for personal satisfaction.

I rarely eat McDonalds anyway.

Yeah. I have to admit that was an over reaction to my dislike of the man. Boycotting is useless. It's not like he would know anyway.
What is incredible about the film is that you actually start out feeling for the guy with the constant rejection he faces. But, by the end, Wow. I'll have to say Michael Keaton did a bang-up job of acting in making a person really despise a guy that one never personally knew or had dealings with.

"Ray Cock"? I think you watched the wrong movie!

I'm not so sure. By the end, Kroc had screwed so many people that, maybe, it really was a porn movie.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I fully enjoyed the movie. After seeing it I feel that Keaton was *robbed* of an Oscar nomination.

BTW, while it was criminal that the McDonald brothers were robbed of their royalties it should be pointed out that:

* 2.7 million up front money in 1961 was a *lot*; especially considering that Kroc still had less than 100 franchises operating on the newly-instigated lease agreements at the time. It’s the equivalent of 22 million today. It was really a huge risk at that point in the growth of the company.

* According to Kroc's relatives, he was enraged that at the closing the brothers stipulated that he would *not* be acquiring the original location as part of the deal. They stated that that was the main reason he later reneged on the handshake portion of the agreement. (This was not depicted in the movie, but does account for Kroc building a new McDonalds a block from the original, which was depicted in the movie.)

* There's no excuse for the brothers agreeing to a handshake agreement for such an important part of the deal. As soon as it was evident that both parties were displeased with the proceedings at the closing, a cooling off period was in order.

In the end Kroc was an S.O.B; there is no disputing that. Most successful businessmen are. What is astonishing is that he acquired this trait in his mid-fifties when most people are locked-in and coasting toward retirement. And it was a real tribute to Michael Keaton that he was able to adequately portray that in the movie.

 

[Robert Crawford]

In the end Kroc was an S.O.B; there is no disputing that. Most successful businessmen are. What is astonishing is that he acquired this trait in his mid-fifties when most people are locked-in and coasting toward retirement. And it was a real tribute to Michael Keaton that he was able to adequately portray that in the movie.

As I stated earlier in this thread. Just about all builders of huge business empires have that same S.O.B. trait. From John Rockefeller to Mark Zuckerberg they are ruthless in business dealings. There's a line relating to that in this film when Kroc is talking to one of the McDonald brothers.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Mark Knopfler did the story in song several years back...I present Boom Like That...



I'm going to San bernardino ring-a-ding-ding
Milkshake mixers that's my thing, now
These guys bought a heap of my stuff
And I gotta see a good thing sure enough, now
Or my name's not kroc that's kroc with a 'k'
Like 'crocodile' but not spelled that way, yeah
It's dog eat dog rat eat rat
Kroc-style boom, like that
The folks line up all down the street
And I'm seeing this girl devour her meat, now
And then I get it, wham as clear as day
My pulse begins to hammer and I hear a voice say
These boys have got this down
Oughtta be a one of these in every town
These boys have got the touch
It's clean as a whistle and it don't cost much
Wham, bam you don't wait long
Shake, fries patty, you're gone
And how about that friendly name?
Heck, every little thing oughtta stay the same
Or my name's not kroc that's kroc with a 'k'
Like 'crocodile' but not spelled that way, now
It's dog eat dog rat eat rat
Kroc-style boom, like that
You gentlemen ought to expand
You're going to need a helping hand, now
So, gentlemen well, what about me?
We'll make a little business history, now
Or my name's not kroc call me ray
Like 'crocodile' but not spelled that way, now
It's dog eat dog rat eat rat
Kroc-style boom, like that
Well we build it up and I buy 'em out
But, man they made me grind it out, now
They open up a new place flipping meat
So I do, too right across the street
I got the name I need the town
They sell up in the end and it all shuts down>
Sometimes you gotta be an s.o.b.
You want to make a dream reality
Competition? send 'em south
If they're gonna drown
Put a hose in their mouth
Do not pass 'go' go straight to hell
I smell that meat hook smell
Or my name's not kroc that's kroc with a 'k'
Like 'crocodile' but not spelled that way, now
It's dog eat dog rat eat rat
Kroc-style boom, like that

Written by Mark Knopfler • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group