The Founder | Rotten Tomatoes

The Founder

PG-13

Released Jan 20, 2017

1h 55m

Biography

History

Drama

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81%

Tomatometer

247 Reviews

82%

Audience Score

25,000+ Ratings

The true story of how Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling salesman from Illinois, met Mac (John Carroll Lynch) and Dick McDonald (Nick Offerman), who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers' speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. Kroc soon maneuvers himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a multi-billion dollar empire.

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Critics Consensus

The Founder puts Michael Keaton's magnetic performance at the center of a smart, satisfying biopic that traces the rise of one of America's most influential businessmen -- and the birth of one of its most far-reaching industries.

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Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

Hancock's bland biopic offers a sanitised and sympathetic take on the burger chain's beginnings and the man who turned it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 19, 2017

Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

One of the many pleasures in John Lee Hancock's study of the man who made McDonald's an empire is its reminder that even the simplest ideas need to be invented.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 17, 2017

Full Review

Ed Potton

Times (UK)

The man, played with dark relish by Michael Keaton, has the fabulous name of Ray Kroc (there is a suitably reptilian air to his grin as he says things such as: "Contracts are like hearts. They're made to be broken").

Rated: 3/5

Feb 16, 2017

Full Review

Noah Berlatsky

Everything is Horrible (Substack)

John Lee Hancock's The Founder is the perfect movie for a country that has just chosen a vapid brand for its chief executive.

Apr 6, 2023

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Thanks to a strong, character-focused script by Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) and engaging performances across the board, it all turns out to be pretty riveting stuff.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 1, 2022

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Underneath its biopic epidermis is a surprisingly rich character study that can be as shrewd as Kroc himself and that doesn’t shy away from looking at him with a skeptical eye.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 20, 2022

Full Review

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AnonymousReviewer

Michael Keaton plays a great Ray Croc in this well-told true story.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/30/24

Full Review

Jason O

Definitely worth a watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/28/24

Full Review

Patrick F

A compelling story with terrific performances all around. The movie is presents the history of McDonalds in a easy to digest (no pun intended), entertaining way.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/24

Full Review

Dan R

Very well written narrative, perfect casting, the only thing it lacks is what the title suggests, no actual dive in the founders of McDonald's but more the story of Ray Kroc, good movie nonetheless.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/08/24

Full Review

Dave S

The Founder is to the fast-food industry as The Social Network was to social media – both result in conflict that stems from corporate greed and shady business practices. Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc, the unscrupulous businessman who wrenched a small but profitable business from the trusting hands of Dick and Mac McDonald (Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch). The main characters in the story are nicely flushed out and Offerman and Lynch are great as the beleaguered brothers, but the movie is hampered by an over-the-top performance (especially in the later stages) from Keaton and a sporadically annoying and unnecessary score. Much like an cheeseburger and fries order from McDonalds, The Founder is a bit bland but will leave you strangely satisfied.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/28/24

Full Review

Wayne B

Outstanding story. Captures the rise to making a well run restaurant into a world franchise. Kroc was a great salesman and greedy self serving human.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

Full Review

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John Lee Hancock

Director

Michael Keaton

Ray Kroc

Nick Offerman

Dick McDonald

John Carroll Lynch

Mac McDonald

Laura Dern

Ethel Kroc

Linda Cardellini

Joan Smith

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The Founder: Trailer 3

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The Founder: Trailer 2

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The Founder: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The true story of how Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling salesman from Illinois, met Mac (John Carroll Lynch) and Dick McDonald (Nick Offerman), who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers' speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. Kroc soon maneuvers himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a multi-billion dollar empire.

Director: John Lee Hancock
Producer: Don Handfield, Jeremy Renner, Aaron Ryder
Screenwriter: Robert D. Siegel
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: The Weinstein Company, Faliro House, The Combine, FilmNation Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 20, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 4, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.8M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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