Fast Food Nation is a splendid blend of Richard Linklater’s directing and Eric Schlosser’s journalism. Together they convert the latter’s investigative journalism based book of the same name into a fictional piece that puts across the message very clearly. Although, had it been a documentary, the impact of the subject would have been greater. But then again, the Schlosser felt that a documentary in those days could not generate a lot of money and would hence have to depend on corporate financing. Hence, Linklater and he distilled the non-fiction book into which addresses the influence of fast food on various global cultures, into a narrative film. Linklater of the ‘Slacker’ fame has done a great job in fictionalizing the book and has delivered a daring film.
The fictionalizing does lead to a bit of a mess as a few audiences would have a hard time keeping up the entry and exit of multiple characters. However, each of the characters represents a cog/gear in the working of the fast food industry – the primary cause of our obesity pandemic.
We have Bob who is who is a marketing executive at the fictional Mickey’s whose hamburger – the Big One has resulted in increased sales. However when manure is found in the patties of the burger he steps out to find the truth and is appalled by the overall conditions of the meat-packing plant who is Mickey’s biggest supplier. Jorge the illegal immigrant from Mexico mobs the floor at the same plant cleaning the feces, blood and guts. He is also occasionally seen chasing away the rats from those machines that produce the country’s food. There is also the usual spice, the bad-man, plant supervisor Mike who trades jobs for sex and drugs. Lastly we have Mickey’s cashier Amber, who begins to doubt the ethical factors of her job and work.
Some audiences may feel ‘half-filled’ as these characters are not fully developed but the film centers not around their story but the story of the fast food industry and how it is devoid of ethic and full of malpractices and cover-ups. For instance, Jorge is promptly let go from the job after an injury at the plant. Such is also the instance in real world where big time lawyers are always on their toes to protect their big time clients.
The film does tend to get graphic at points like the slaughter of a cow and it the films ultimate aim is to stop people from gorging on the ‘Big One’s’ of the real world, that scene might as well do the trick. Unfortunate for me, I had already seen Food Inc. and Super Size Me prior to this film and hence was aware of the whole fast food industry impact and scandal. Nonetheless, the film does make an entertaining and informative impression.