The Founder (2017)

'The Founder' is directed by John Lee Hancock and stars Michael Keaton as McDonald's pioneer Ray Kroc and how the fast food empire came to be. Starting out broke and unsatisfied with his life as a traveling milkshake machine salesman, Kroc eventually arrives in San Burnadino where he sees a local burger joint named McDonald's. Seeing the opportunity in front of him, he makes deals, backstabs, and fights his way to the top no matter who stands in the way. The film manages to tell its story in a surprisingly short amount of screen time, at about roughly an hour and a half long. Every major story hurdle is told with enough detail that you don't feel like you're missing something along the way.

However, the main attraction here is Michael Keaton who gives his usual strong performance and portrays Ray Kroc to a T. His charm, his charisma, and his eventual sinister side are all done exceptionally well by Keaton. He also has a talented cast of actors to work with as well, including Laura Dern, Nick Offerman, Patrick Wilson, and John Carroll Lynch. The McDonald Brothers played by Offerman and Lynch are also big stand outs, giving some of the strongest performances of their careers. You feel bad for them, you want them to overcome Kroc, but despite everything they soon find out, as the audience already knows is simply impossible and you feel that wave of sadness on the screen.

Where the film can sometimes stumble is in its tone and what exactly they want you to feel about Kroc. At one moment, he's sympathetic and understandable as to why he does what he did but at other times, he can be a complete bastard and these moments in particular can come without notice and while it strengthens the film's impact it causes a strange mix in emotions for the audience.
Overall, 'The Founder' remains a fascinating watch all the way through, showing the history of future corporate America and the ugly side of doing business. For those who usually have issues with the pacing or the overall story of these biopic films, I would honestly say 'The Founder' is a good way to give the sub-genre a second chance.