The Founder

Right now you can watch The Founder in Australia on Stan, and in the US on Netflix — and it holds up to as much attention as you give it. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 5,434 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Michael Keaton's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight on Stan and see for yourself.

There is a reason The Founder keeps coming up in conversation. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — The Founder earns every emotional beat it goes for. The true story of how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, 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. He maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire. Michael Keaton and Nick Offerman lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2016. What elevates The Founder is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Drama fans who appreciate slow-burn storytelling will feel right at home with The Founder. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Michael Keaton's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.