‘The Founder’ is a supersized business drama with no extenders

Right across the street, from where I'm writing this, is a familiar sight. The predominantly red color scheme, the iconic logo, and a pair of large, golden arches suspended high above the establishment, instantly recognizable even from a mile away. Now a global icon, it's difficult to imagine a time when McDonald's was nothing more than a small but moderately successful diner in the middle of nowhere.

"The Founder" is the origin story of McDonald's, in a manner of speaking. It doesn't spend too much time—20 minutes, tops—on the diner's transition from business idea to reality. Instead, most of the movie's almost two-hour run focuses on how the humble burger joint transformed into an American icon.

Michael Keaton, taking the spotlight as company founder Ray Kroc, brings both charm and ruthlessness to his portrayal of the man who aggressively pushed for the growth of a brand bearing someone else's surname. You will certainly want to root for him at the beginning—the operative word here, of course, being "beginning"—even though his journey to success becomes more disheartening (horrifying, even) as the film progresses.

Make no mistake: "The Founder" is not so much an inspirational film as it is a business drama wrapped in old-school burger packaging. It's a story of admiration and opportunism; of perseverance and deception; of loyalty and betrayal.

The attention to detail in this film is impressive, especially in the way the filmmakers carefully reconstructed the first McDonald's branches. From the vintage-style lettering and logos to the early "Speedee Service System" kitchen setup that the diner's creators, Mac and Dick McDonald, worked feverishly on perfecting, the film has the look and feel of that era nearly down to a science, save for the occasional editing flub or two.

A powerful film that delivers a devastating (and somewhat depressing) finale, "The Founder" will leave you feeling varying degrees of awe, pity, and disgust for its main characters. And if you ever find yourself wanting comfort food afterwards, well, we can probably guess where you'll go. — BM, GMA News

"The Founder" is now showing in cinemas.