The Founder [2017]

After watching bs[in my opinion, at least] like Passengers and xXx : The Return of Xander Cage, this film released, and the fact that it had something, nay, a lot, to do with McDonald’s attracted us all to the film. So, how does the film perform?

The Founder, first up, is based on the real-life story of how Ray Kroc came to acquire McDonald’s, and his history with the McDonald brothers, who were the founders. The story begins with Ray Kroc, who was then a travelling salesman, trying to sell milkshake makers and failing hard. He has a supportive wife Ethel and has saved up enough money to live a reasonably comfortable life, but Ray is not one to settle for small pleasures; he wants to achieve great success in life.

One day, Ray gets an unusually large order[6 milkshake makers] from a far-off diner. This is pleasantly surprising for Ray, considering he struggles to sell even one a day, and even that after much haggling. When he visits the diner, he’s in for more surprises. He is impressed, to say the least, with the fast service, good quality of food and the family-oriented atmosphere there; something that was sorely missing in all the other diners he’d been to. This was Ray Kroc’s first brush with McDonald’s. He takes so much of an interest in the McDonald’s diner after checking out the premises, that he signs on the dotted line to work under the McDonald brothers as someone who would expand the diner, without a second thought to any of the conditions and stipulations on the contract. I don’t want to reveal any more of the story for fear it might spoil the sense of discovery one feels when they watch or read something for the first time.

The plot is nothing short of brilliant; the adaptation of this real-life events to screen is fluid, and not a thing is amiss.Of course, there might be some creative liberties taken by the makers, but the plot progression of the film itself is spot-on. At no point does the film feel like it’s slowing down or such. The 1950s setting has also been recreated really well. As far as acting is concerned, Michael Keaton playing the lead role of Ray Kroc, is on point and is easily the best part of the film, with Nic Offerman[as Dick McDonald] and John Carroll Lynch[as Mac McDonald] playing strong supporting roles in the film. Laura Dern as Ethel, Ray’s wife, does well too, however her role is too short to make a significant impact.

This is the best film I’ve seen since the mind-screw that was The Chaser. So, as you’d expect. I strongly recommend The Founder to anyone who likes movies based on historic events or real-life incidents.

RATING : 9.5/10

PROS :
– solid acting, especially from Michael Keaton
– amazing plot
– good pacing

NARCOS – SEASON 1

 

CREATORS : Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro
STARRING : Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal
NO. OF EPISODES : 10

Pablo Escobar. Infamous drug-dealer and trafficker. Ever intrigued by his life story? Wanted to know more about his meteoric rise to notoriety? Why nobody dares to take on the DEA now? Fret not. Because here is the first season of Narcos, where you get to know all this and more in a thoroughly uncompromising biographical drama.

The plot starts off with the humble beginnings of Pablo Escobar in Columbian drug-trafficking. Well, not so humble really, as at the time of the introduction itself, the power he holds is evident enough, if his having bought out most of the Colombian police force is any  proof. I reckon it is. And the DEA had no clue about Escobar yet, as he hadn’t gone on to get himself a larger-than-life aura at the time. When the DEA begins to discover tons of cocaine shipments in Miami the likes of which they’ve never seen before, they gradually begin to realize the gravity of the situation. Arresting drug-peddlers was nowhere near good enough to get things under control, and soon they discover that there is another, bigger hand behind the drugs. The situation comes to a head when Escobar begins to  contest for a place in the Colombian legislature and then…well, just watch the show to find out.

 Awww, look how happy he is!

The drama is bilateral, a proper mix of Spanish and English through the entirety of the series. Which is a refreshing change from all those movies and TV shows where everyone speaks English like it’s their first language, regardless of the cultural and linguistic demography of the region. And the acting, top-notch. Wagner Moura, who plays Pablo Escobar, apparently went to a Colombian college to learn Spanish in their way, just to play the drug world’s kingpin. And his dedication clearly shows. He doesn’t just act, he lives the role of Escobar. And Boyd Holbrook, playing Steve Murphy (from whose point of view the whole story is told), is impeccable as well. His narrations are especially crisp in their tone and choice of language, with all that irony and self-deprecatory humor. Pedro Pascal, Maurice Compte and Juan Pablo Raba, who play the main supporting characters, fit their roles perfectly. The series doesn’t hold back from anything at all, and is all the better for it.

Anticipation for the second season of Narcos is high, and rightly so. This is one of the best series to have graced the television in some time.

PROS :
– amazing acting
– great plot
– ambience
– pacing
– THAT OPENING!

CONS :
– makes you want to be as badass a person as Pablo

 

RATING : 9.3/10