Gordon-11
This film tells the stories of people who work in the fast food industry, including top management, store manager, cashier, and illegal workers in meat processing plants. "Fast Food Nation" isn't as interesting or funny as I thought it might be. The vast number of well known actors aren't really put to good use, as they mostly have very small roles. The stories they tell are not very interesting, with the exception of the migrant workers whose tough lives and harsh working conditions should evoke sympathy. The cashier's story is rather plain. It doesn't expose the horrors of the industry either, except in the final few minutes where they show what happens in an abattoir. If shock tactic is to be used, why leave it until the last few minutes? And slaughtering animals is not unique to the fast food industry. Hence, the augments against the fast food industry is weak and hardly convincing. "Super Size Me" does a way better job at alarming people while being entertaining. This film does neither. I frankly felt bored most of the time while watching "Fast Food Nation".
Sandcooler
"Fast Food Nation" is a movie that's mainly saved by Richard Linklater's immense talent for writing dialogue, because for the most part he doesn't really bring anything new here. It's not bad, but it's just the same as usual: characters sit around making nothing of their lives, then gradually they get caught up in each other's story arcs somehow. I've seen him doing it before, and I've seen him doing it better. The main reason why "Fast Food Nation" isn't really his best is because some characters just aren't very interesting. To me the most compelling character is probably the oh-so-clever marketing executive who slowly starts to grow a conscience, I reckon those segments are by far the best. The rest is surprisingly pedestrian material that doesn't even hand us anything resembling closure. I know Linklater has made stories that go nowhere into an art form, but here it doesn't really work out because you just don't care enough to fill in the blanks yourself. Bringing in Avril Lavigne for a bit part also sorta reeks of stunt casting, because she sure as hell wasn't hired for her acting abilities. Still, you will get some brilliant lines out of this movie. It's not quite "Dazed and Confused", but it definitely has its moments.
chenrici
I saw this in the library, I checked it out not knowing much about this movie other than the blurb on the box, that it was loosely based on a nonfiction book indicting the fast food industry. Unlike some others here who felt let down and disappointed by the movie, I had the opposite reaction, "Fast Food Nation" was better than I thought it would be. If you expect a Michael Moore type film on the fast food industry you might not like this. It is more of a humanistic view of not only fast food chains effect on people's lives, but franchises in general. The central points of the movie are not limited to the evil big mac (or "big one" as its called in the film), it's asking some broader questions. Should people be happy with a Big Mac and a pair of Nikes? What happens to bring it to them? and is there maybe something weird about a culture where plenty of people are actually happy with a big mac and a pair of Nikes, or maybe a "Happy Meal". Bruce Willis' character represents the other side of the coin who basically says- nobody is making immigrants come here (a big mac and a pair of Nikes is probably still better than what they had), plus plenty of other things kill people besides fast food. And I'd also add there is a bit of s**t in just about any tap water as well as that "big one" burger. It was probably presented as a "fictional" movie to avoid legal problems, and to avoid being tied into Michael Moore territory. Overall I like the approach they took. All the actors are good, and I especially liked Bruce Willis and Ethan Hawke in their short parts. "Fast food nation" is a unique achievement encompassing both dark humor and moving drama. The moralistic tone of the film and the killing floor scene combine to make a strong impact. It could have been a little more focused, but this is a well done film IMO.
sdesh03
Another reviewer said that the makers of this movie have lost a valuable opportunity. I completely agree with that opinion. This film is a disaster. The movie touches on important subjects in today's society (exploitation of Mexican immigrants, abusive US corporate power, the brutality of the meat industry, grass-root activism etc) but unfortunately it presents them in a shallow and dull way. The dialogues go nowhere and the events unfold with little sense of direction. The film doesn't even provide basic facts or data on the issues mentioned above. It's fiction that just doesn't bite. If you haven't seen this movie, I strongly suggest to avoid wasting 2 hours of your life on it. If you want to learn the facts of the fast food industry, you won't find any here.
AD
