The Founder

Play trailer

1:06

The Founder

PG-13

2017

1h 55m

Biography

History

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

244 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

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 the 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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

02/19/2017

2/5

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.

Go to Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

02/17/2017

4/5

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.

Go to Full Review

Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

02/16/2017

3/5

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").

Go to Full Review

Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

08/12/2024

4/5

This is definitely a film to watch – not only as a real “eye-opener” into the success of the world’s most recognisable fast-food chain, but also for Keaton’s dedicated and enthusiastic performance.

Go to Full Review

Noah Berlatsky

Everything is Horrible (Substack)

04/06/2023

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

Go to Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

11/01/2022

8/10

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.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Joshua M

@Flameon Aug 6

I never knew the story behind McDonalds. You wouldn't think that a story about a hambuger franchise would be all that compelling but it is a well crafted film.

See more

Josh G

@Parsifal83 Jul 31

A solid biopic that tells an undeniably fascinating story, but like so many films in the genre, it rarely finds a deeper cinematic perspective on its subject. It recounts the rise of Ray Kroc well enough, yet never transcends the material or justifies why this story needed to be told as a film rather than as a documentary.

See more

Jess S

@RT25861954 Jul 29

Boring topic but decently acted.

See more

Brayden G

@DeadShotVibe802 Jul 3

Great movie on how McDonald’s became a franchise

See more

Daniel I

@RT47475128 May 21

Why is the movie trying to make Ray kroc look bad?,the brothers didn't want to expand that's all,in my own understanding,I see Ray as more of a business genuis, though the movie shows how ethics and business do sometimes disagree

See more

vihaan b

@VihaanBodwal Feb 12

the story of mcdonalds own highs and lows produce a great movie.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

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

The Current War: Director's Cut

61%

79%

The Current War: Director's Cut

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Current War: Director's Cut

Marshall

80%

84%

Marshall

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Marshall

Race

64%

77%

Race

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Race

Bigger

11%

78%

Bigger

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Bigger

Loving

88%

76%

Loving

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Loving

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Founder: Trailer 3

1:06

Now Playing

The Founder: Trailer 2

1:07

Now Playing

The Founder: Trailer 1

2:31

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

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 the 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

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings