Stars: Kris Kristofferson, Patricia Arquette, Bruce Willis, Ethan Hawke, Greg Kinnear, Paul Franklin Dano, Wilmer Valderrama, Avril Lavigne

Director: Richard Linklater

Summary: FAST FOOD NATION exposes the evils of corporate fast-food production.

FAST FOOD NATION is director Richard Linklater’s big screen adaptation of Eric Schlosser’s best-selling book, which exposes the evils of corporate fast-food production. Co-written by Linklater and Schlosser, the film presents a wide tapestry of characters whose lives are all affected in one way or another by Mickey’s, a fictionalized fast-food chain. At the top of the chain sits Don Henderson (Greg Kinnear), a Mickey’s marketing VP who is shocked to discover that a high faecal count has shown up in his company’s burgers. Sylvia (Catalina Sandino Moreno), Raul (Wilmer Vilderrama), and Coco (Ana Claudia Talancon) are illegal Mexican immigrants who have found employment in the grotesque plant that produces those same burgers, working under the evil watch of supervisor Mike (Bobby Cannavale). Ashley (Amber Johnson) works the counter at a local Mickey’s, but when she befriends a group of politically charged college students (Lou Taylor Pucci, Avril Lavigne), she thinks twice about her job. Along the way, several more characters are introduced (played by Kris Kristofferson, Ethan Hawke, and Bruce Willis), who voice the concerns expressed in Schlosser’s non-fiction account. Linklater takes a leisurely approach to his otherwise in-your-face material, allowing certain stories to play themselves out before moving on to another. The result is a film that sneaks up on viewers. However, by the time it reaches its powerful conclusion, the filmmakers' point becomes painfully clear.

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If you're still eating that fast-food burger after watching Super Size Me, you might not feel too hungry after watching Fast Food Nation, a fictionalised feature based on Eric Schlosser's bestselling nonfiction expose. Director Richard Linklater, who cowrote the screenplay with Schlosser, guides a topnotch ensemble cast through a peek behind the veil of how that Big Mac is born. Much of the film focuses on the illegal immigrants who work in the loosely regulated meat-packing industry, and actors including the luminous Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), who plays a desperate but outraged labourer. Greg Kinnear also delivers a spot-on performance as a fast-food chain marketing manager, trying frantically to discover the source of stomach-turning contamination in the company's meat. Stories are woven in unexpected ways, and cameos by the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Patricia Arquette, and especially Bruce Willis keep the narrative fresh. The film has a point of view, but thanks to Linklater's deft touch, is never didactic. As Willis's character slyly says, "Most people don't like to be told what's best for them." Agreed, yet Fast Food Nation likely will help the viewer be more conscious of what's on the end of that fork. --A.T. Hurley

Aspect Ratio:	1.85 H D Widescreen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Interviews with Eric Schlosser, Richard Linklater, Ashley Johnson and Wilmer Valderrama, Behind the scenes, Trailer
Year:	2007
Release Date:	August 27, 2007
Runtime:	109 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	T V D 3752
Keywords:	Nation, English, General, Fast, Food, Drama
Genre:	Drama