Fast Food Nation (2006)

Fast Food Nation: Directed by Richard Linklater. With Wilmer Valderrama, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Ana Claudia Talancón, Juan Carlos Serrán. An examination of the health risks involved in the fast food industry as well as its environmental and social consequences.

“Richard Linklater has made a niche for himself with a diverse range of highly original, intelligent and interesting films that are largely dialogue driven. Some are idiosyncratic variations of popular genres like Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Waking Life was cutting edge and in a genre of its own while School of Rock was a mainstream hit in the teenage comedy genre.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn a sense, Linklater is like Michael Winterbottom. They have very different styles in film-making, but both tackle vastly different projects from one film to the next, creating impressive bodies of work. Any Linklater film is going to be anticipated by fans of his work, and Fast Food Nation does not disappoint.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBased on Eric Schlosseru0026#39;s non-fiction book of the same name, the film is a fictionalisation co-written by Schlosser and Linklater. The structure of the film is unconventional. It is complex, depicting a number of social, economic and human issues with much compassion. Though the charactersu0026#39; paths cross (or come close to it) at different stages, the film is not exactly an ensemble piece. The different stories donu0026#39;t join up in a contrived manner we often see in this genre. Sections are pieced together with a great line up of actors, such as Patricia Arquette, Bruce Willis, Ethan Hawke and Kris Kristofferson, each of whose characters are interesting enough to carry the film alone.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe truth behind the burgers we eat is revealed through Mickeyu0026#39;s Burgers Marketing Manager Don Henderson (Greg Kinnear) as he attempts to discover the source of faecal contamination of the burgers. Amber (Ashley Johnson) is the conscience of the film. As she discovers the ethics in producing the burgers she smilingly dispenses to the public, we share in her transformation.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCatalina Sandino Moreno was terrific as the Colombian drug mule in Maria Full of Grace and again shines in this film as the desperate and indignant Mexican illegal worker. Paul Danou0026#39;s role as a Mickeyu0026#39;s worker is small but much more interesting than his performance in the mediocre Little Miss Sunshine. Though the story is American, thereu0026#39;s relevance to Australia with the proliferation of fast food chains, the new IR laws, and cheap imported labour.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film is largely character-driven but be warned that there are some gruesome scenes towards the end – scenes that should and need to be seen. The film is almost a companion piece to Morgan Spurlocku0026#39;s Super Size Me. Whereas Super Size Me was an entertaining documentary, it wasnu0026#39;t as hard-hitting as this fictionalised semi-satirical look behind the scenes. Has anyone else noticed that McDonalds is blitzing us with marketing, just as they did in the lead up to Super Size Me? Fast food companies are afraid of this film, and should be. It is well worth seeing.”