Overview
A tale of ambition and greed that reshapes the fast-food industry forever.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- driven
- morally uneasy
- thoughtful
- business movie night
- history movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film to be a smart, satisfying biographical drama elevated by Michael Keaton's magnetic performance, while noting that its storytelling can rely too heavily on exposition.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ray Kroc pursues rapid expansion of the McDonald's system while challenging the brothers' control over their restaurant concept.
The film places standardized hamburgers, assembly-line service, and franchising within the growth of midcentury American consumer culture.
Ray's salesmanship, persistence, and ability to exploit business openings drive his rise as much as his entrepreneurial vision does.
Drive-in restaurants, milkshake machines, franchised outlets, and 1950s American roadside design anchor the film's period atmosphere.
Films like The Founder, and why
There Will Be Blood
shares a biographical business drama focus, morally compromised ambition, and critique of corporate power
The Social Network
shares a true-story entrepreneurial rise, charismatic central performance, and ethical tension around commercial success
Steve Jobs
shares a period biographical drama about ambition, innovation, and the personal costs of building an influential American enterprise
Movie Details
- Director
- John Lee Hancock
- Release Date
- 2016-11-24
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (5552)
Cast
- Michael Keaton
- Nick Offerman
- John Carroll Lynch
- Linda Cardellini
- B.J. Novak
- Laura Dern
- Justin Randell Brooke
- Kate Kneeland
- Patrick Wilson
- Griff Furst
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Founder about?
- A relentless salesman turns a streamlined California burger stand into a national empire while the people who created it struggle to retain ownership of their vision.
- What is The Founder like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Founder as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Founder violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Founder.
- What did critics think of The Founder?
- Critics broadly found the film to be a smart, satisfying biographical drama elevated by Michael Keaton's magnetic performance, while noting that its storytelling can rely too heavily on exposition.
- Which films are like The Founder?
- Films with a similar feel include There Will Be Blood, The Social Network, and Steve Jobs.
- How long is The Founder?
- The Founder runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Founder?
- In United States, The Founder streams on Netflix.
