Fast Food Nation (Richard Linklater, 2006)

[pianocrash]

from the nytimes:

October 30, 2005
Want Stealth With That? The 'Fast Food Nation' Film Goes Undercover
By MICHAEL JOSEPH GROSS

IN Austin, Tex., Richard Linklater, a filmmaker known for the whimsy of "Slacker" and "School of Rock," is planning a big-screen adaptation of "Fast Food Nation," the 2001 exposé book by Eric Schlosser. Filming began Monday in Texas and will continue at locations there, in Colorado and Mexico. The preparations have had the secrecy of a stealth mission. A recent call to the production office requesting information about the movie provoked a crackling pause on the telephone line. The hesitant voice finally said, "You mean ... 'Coyote'?"

In September, The Austin American-Statesman reported that the drama, written by Mr. Linklater and Mr. Schlosser and starring Catalina Sandino Moreno ("Maria Full of Grace"), is hiding under the sheep's clothing of a pseudonym. The false name - "Coyote" - was chosen, the newspaper said, to help the production gain access to franchise restaurants and other industry locations that might be off limits if the movie's true source material were known. (The blog Cinematical.com recently asked, "Is 'Coyote' itself a smokescreen to throw us off the scent of the real fake title?")

Ricky Strauss, president of Participant Productions, which owns North American rights and is an investor in the film, said the movie's title was "still in development."

"Sometimes filmmakers have to adjust the title so that a movie can be made without undue attention," he explained, while declining to say whether this was one such case.

Mr. Linklater was unavailable for comment, and the co-producer Ann Carli played down the film's connection to its muckraking source material. "We're just using the fast food industry as a backdrop for a multitude of characters," she said. "It's not a polemic. It's a character study, set in the world of the fast food industry. It's about how people grow up and make decisions to do they things they do. It's about what turns their lives." Whether Mr. Linklater's completed film, whatever its title, proves an effective exploration of such matters remains to be seen.

Participant's chief executive, Jeff Skoll, a co-founder of eBay, has promised to put his money behind films that make a difference. The company's corporate Web site, http://www.ParticipantProductions.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, explains that the company "believes in the power of media to create great social change."

"Our goal is to deliver compelling entertainment that will inspire audiences to get involved in the issues that affect us all," it continues.

In an interview, Mr. Strauss said that "Fast Food Nation" advances Participant's mission "in the sense of encouraging corporate responsibility."

The marketing plan for each Participant film includes activist outreach, especially on another company Web site, http://www.participate.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Participant's first dramatic features, "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "North Country," opened this month - and the campaign for "North Country," whose plot involves issues of workplace discrimination and domestic violence, invites Web site visitors to "Sign the Women-Friendly Workplace Pledge" and "Implement a sexual harassment policy at your school." Although Mr. Strauss said Participant has had "internal discussions" about its "social action campaign" for "Fast Food Nation," the company will wait to announce its plans until the film is complete.

A producer of the movie is the Oscar-winning Jeremy Thomas ("The Last Emperor"), whose London-based HanWay Films and Recorded Picture Company are also expected to back Mr. Linklater's film. Mr. Thomas did not respond to a telephone request for an interview.

Participant's first two releases were set comfortably in the past. This film tackles issues and institutions that are very much alive (as does the forthcoming oil business-spy drama "Syriana," of which Participant is a producer), however, and so it may meet with a lot more resistance.

"I've got a bunch of people snooping around for info on this movie, and nobody can find anything," said Pete Meersman, president of the Colorado Restaurant Association, who appears briefly in Mr. Schlosser's book. Although his colleague Richie Jackson, head of the Texas Restaurant Association, did not return calls for comment, Mr. Meersman said he had been in touch with Mr. Jackson. "Richie can't find anything either," he said. "It's weird."

When told that the film could have a pseudonym, Mr. Meersman said, "If people are willing to lie about what they're doing, they can probably talk their way into most anywhere, and that could be a problem."

Susan P. Kezios, president of the American Franchisee Association, a trade group for franchise holders, pointed out that fast food giants are capable of fighting back. "If corporations got wind that this is happening, they could issue an order overnight to all franchisees that says, 'In order to be in compliance with your franchise contract, do not let any filmmakers in,' " she said.

But Robert Zarco, a Miami lawyer and franchise law specialist, thinks corporations would have a hard time slowing the "Fast Food Nation" movie down. He said that a franchisee's contractual obligations must be balanced with First Amendment rights. So long as the filming does not disclose confidential and proprietary franchise system information, Mr. Zarco said, "I believe that a franchisor will have an extremely high hurdle to leap to default and then terminate a franchisee for having permitted the filming of its business location."

Despite any obstacles, Mr. Linklater's associates believe he'll get access to the locations he needs. His friend Erwin Stoff (who is also a producer of Mr. Linklater's forthcoming "Through a Scanner Darkly") said the director has "the most Zen persuasive powers."

"I've never met anybody who sells less - and in the process, ends up selling you more," he said.

For Mr. Skoll, a greater problem than grabbing shots on hostile turf may be the need to reconcile seeming contradictions within his own growing empire.

In recent years, the Skoll Foundation, which shares Participant's commitment to social change (though it has no direct ties to the film company), has had its own encounters with the fast food industry - as an investor. According to its tax statement for the year ending Nov. 30, 2003, the foundation's $161 million in assets included $1.3 million worth of shares in fast food companies and their suppliers. Holdings included Yum! Brands (which claims to be the world's largest fast food restaurant company and includes Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell and other chains), Kraft Foods, Cadbury-Schweppes, Coca-Cola, Pepsi Bottling Group, and Aramark, a vending machine company.

Mr. Skoll, who is the foundation's chairman as well as the founder and chief executive of Participant, said, "I don't see a conflict between these investments and our intent with 'Fast Food Nation.'" The film, he said, is "intended to educate consumers about industry-wide practices, not pick on the practices of any specific company."

The foundation's president and chief executive, Sally Osberg, defended the foundation's investment strategy. "It's only inconsistent on the surface," she said. "Our investment managers vet the companies. We vet the managers. Those managers will drop those companies if they don't evolve to meet the demands of an enlightened and informed consumer." Ms. Osberg also pointed out that these investments amounted to only a small fraction of the foundation's stock portfolio.

And, Mr. Skoll noted, this will not be the last time that a Participant film will cause him to question his investments. "We're doing a film on global warming, and I'm going to have to ask, 'Do I personally or does the foundation have investments in car companies or other things?' " he said. "When you start thinking about all the potential cross-pollinations, you have to ask, 'Where do you draw the line?' "

This is especially difficult in a field with as wide a reach as fast food. Morgan Spurlock, who directed and starred in "Super Size Me," the 2004 documentary, said that he had seen a version of the "Fast Food Nation" script, and in an interview he praised the film's comprehensive look at this huge industry.

"You see how deep the tentacles run," Mr. Spurlock said. "You see how big the web is."

[Fletch F. Fletch]

It now has a distributor:

Fox Searchlight on 'Fast Food' binge

By Gregg Kilday Sun Dec 18, 7:42 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox Searchlight Pictures has acquired North American distribution rights to "Fast Food Nation."

Directed by Richard Linklater, the film is a dramatic character study about the fast-food industry based on Eric Schlosser's nonfiction best-seller. A 2006 release is planned.

The ensemble cast includes Patricia Arquette, Bobby Cannavale, Luis Guzman, Ethan Hawke, Ashley Johnson, Greg Kinnear, Kris Kristofferson,
Avril Lavigne, Esai Morales, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Lou Taylor Pucci, Ana Claudia Talancon and Wilmer Valderrama. It was shot in Mexico, Texas and Colorado.

Linklater, who met Schlosser four years ago when the author came through Austin on a book tour, said: "The idea that came out of our meetings was that the movie would not be a documentary but a character study of the lives behind the facts and figures. I'm more interested in fiction than nonfiction. You get to the point through human storytelling."

Linklater's recent credits include "School of Rock" and "Before Sunset," for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

[Joe Buck]

Having read the book, I am very curious on how this turns out.

[hearthesilence]

Me too, especially coming from Linklater.

BTW, everyone ought to read this book. My God, it's obvious fast food is bad for you, I just didn't realize it was so bad on so many levels. Economics and laziness bring me back at least once a month, but after reading that book, I didn't go back for nearly a year.

[Gordon]

BTW, everyone ought to read this book. My God, it's obvious fast food is bad for you, I just didn't realize it was so bad on so many levels.

I didn't need to read a book to realise that!

On paper, this film sounds like a dud, but Linklater has an original way of looking at life, as far as filmmakers go, so this could be interesting. Although, there is a bit of irony here: as people are sitting in the auditorium watching a movie about the evils of junk food, some of them will be munching the almost-as-bad cineplex sustenance, none the wiser. Years ago, I made the mistake of requesting nachos from the counter. Never before, nor since have I encounter 'cheese' like that. I can only compare it to some kind of industrial plastic in a molten state before being injection-molded. So I stuck it under my seat... but the smell! It's a good job that no small children were in the near vicinity, as they would probably would have passed out.

An important book and an important movie, yes; but no movie will stop Joe Sixpack and Lonnie Lardass from chowing down on Big Macs and KFC buckets. 'Buckets' - that always kills me! They serve their 'cuisine' in... buckets. Nice.

[hearthesilence]

No, that's the point, you THINK you know how bad it is, but it's even worse. Not just high fat or environmental waste, but everything from the machines they use to harvest meat from bones to labor hazards to "zero" training in the workplace, etc.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

it appears that McDonald's is gearing up to counter the negative press this film could drum up:

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/ame ... 357767.ece

[Fletch F. Fletch]

early review by Kent Jones: http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/mj06/fastfoodnation.htm

[Antoine Doinel]

Wow, nice review. I have to say that Greg Kinnear is really an underappreciated actor but it seems his performance here will get him much deserved attention. He was great (in the also underrated) Auto Focus.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Trailer is online: http://www.fastfoodnation-movie.com/trailer.php

[rs98762001]

Fictionalizing the book is risky, but judging from the teaser and the review, it might just pay off. Hopefully it won't be to heavy-handed like Sayles' more recent films, nor ironic-lite in the manner of THANK YOU FOR SMOKING -- you can usually count on Linklater for a subtle touch.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

The New York Times digs it:

At Cannes, Foreign Art Films Mix With Politics
By Manohla Dargis
Published: May 19, 2006

A different political reality is brought to devastating light in Richard Linklater's ferocious, fictionalized adaptation of Eric Schlosser's nonfiction bestseller "Fast Food Nation," which, among other things, proves that when it comes to critiquing America, few do it better than outraged Americans. (Mr. Linklater, who has never had a film at Cannes before, this year has two: "Fast Food Nation," which is screening in competition, and "A Scanner Darkly," which is in Un Certain Regard.) In "Fast Food," Mr. Linklater and Mr. Schlosser, who wrote the screenplay together, trace a miscellany of characters from both sides of the American-Mexican border as they experience the perils of globalization. The most essential political film from an American director since Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," it may not turn you into a vegetarian, but it will definitely make your think twice about our fast-food culture.

[Antoine Doinel]

Fictionalizing the book is risky, but judging from the teaser and the review, it might just pay off. Hopefully it won't be to heavy-handed like Sayles' more recent films, nor ironic-lite in the manner of THANK YOU FOR SMOKING -- you can usually count on Linklater for a subtle touch.

Good call on Thank You For Smoking - I liked it but felt it wasn't nearly as viscious as it could've/should've been.

[Noir of the Night]

Thank You for Smoking was good, but it didn't live up to the promise of its first scene. It was a funny film, but I think the filmmakers' instinct to present Nick as sympathetic (mainly through the relationship with his son) was at odds with their desire to create a truly biting satire. This I think is reflected in the film's ending, where, instead of trying to take the satire further, they gave Nick a faux inspirational speech and basically turned him into a good guy.

Rob Lowe was funny, though.

[rs98762001]

Rather disappointingly, both VARIETY and the REPORTER have put up lukewarm reviews for this, for what it's worth...

[Fletch F. Fletch]

An interview with Linklater in the Village Voice: http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0622,n ... 75,20.html

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Another interview with Linklater, this time up on the Onion A.V. Club site: http://www.avclub.com/content/node/49451

[Fletch F. Fletch]

The second part of an lengthy interview with Linklater in Film Comment(you have to buy the print edition to get the first part). Interestingly, he claims to be working on a film about Chet Baker with Ethan Hawke.

http://www.filmlinc.com/fcm/ja06/richardlinklater2.htm

[Dylan]

Ethan Hawke would make a great Chet Baker, I'm surprised I hadn't thought of him before (as I've always thought Baker's story would make an interesting film). I look forward to seeing how that turns out.

Has anybody here seen "Fast Food Nation" yet (via previews, etc.)?

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Ethan Hawke would make a great Chet Baker, I'm surprised I hadn't thought of him before (as I've always thought Baker's story would make an interesting film). I look forward to seeing how that turns out.

Have you ever seen Bruce Weber's doc on Baker, Let's Get Lost? It is a fascinating story and excellent fodder for a biopic altho, they're gonna have a hard time time topping Weber's film.

[Dylan]

I've always liked Baker's music (his horn playing was amazing). I haven't seen that documentary you mentioned, but I read some of the biography "Deep in a Dream," which is very good, and I'm generally familiar with his story, which is interesting and rather strange. Of course, I'm not sure how this will turn out, but Ethan Hawke seems like great casting. And how about the Parisian nightclub scenes that this film will undoubtedly include? I look very forward to seeing how this turns out.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

An extended version of the interview with Richard Linklater that appears in the November/December 2006 issue of Mother Jones magazine.

[Dylan]

This is a truly egregious example of using the ensemble concept to completely cop-out in the writing, not know what you're saying, or where you're going, or why, just keep cutting around to more characters in randomly horrible or frusterating situations to avoid having to figure anything out dramatically. The sub-plot with the Mexicans has no interesting characterization, infinite instances of familiarity, and not for one moment did Linklater get me to care about these people. We don't know them at all, so when the shit starts happening I didn't care, which isn't good on the filmmaker's part because what's happening to these people is pretty terrible.

Gregg Kinear's part was OK at best, but it too didn't add up to anything. So what, he found out that all hamburgers have a little shit in them? That was it? That was the whole point of his character's story? Then he has to stop doing this or else he will risk his job? Isn't that from another movie?

The average television show has much better writing than this.

Thank God for the part centering around Ashley Johnson, Patty Arquette, and (for a few minutes) the wonderful Ethan Hawke, otherwise I would've promptly fell asleep. I liked this story...the only part of the film that seemed well-written to me, and the only part where I cared about the characters. But of course, even this part of the film added up to nothing. Particularly considering everything that is going on here, he is setting up these characters pretty damn well, then does nothing with them. Nothing at all!

Because I feel I need to say something positive, Ashley is a doll, and completely believable in her role, and the scene with Ethan Hawke was very enjoyable. I would've much, much rather the entire film have been her and Hawke talking in the bar with the fast food thing as a wrap around.

As far as the film's conviction goes, I already knew all of what this film is trying to present, and I've been a vegetarian for six years so I really care very much about the issues this is tackling, but it does an exeedingly poor job in every area trying to present it.

When the last scene flashed, I was thinking "this better not be the end of the movie, if it is this film went absolutely nowhere and didn't do shit with its characters," and surely enough, after that stupid random senseless touch of "irony" and the freeze frame, we faded out, and I couldn't believe it.

Read Upton Sinclair's excellent "The Jungle," then watch the animal slaughter scene from Fassbinder's "13 Moons" and you'll come away with a lot more than this film gives you.

Feel free to disagree. If anybody likes this film at all, I'm more than curious as to why.

[tavernier]

If anybody likes this film at all, I'm more than curious as to why.

A. O. Scott does:

If you go to see “Fast Food Nationâ€

[mbalson]

This is a truly egregious example of using the ensemble concept to completely cop-out in the writing, not know what you're saying, or where you're going, or why, just keep cutting around to more characters in randomly horrible or frusterating situations to avoid having to figure anything out dramatically. ...
Feel free to disagree. If anybody likes this film at all, I'm more than curious as to why.

I completely agree with you. The film was a waste of time and offered no insight of it's own.