Food on Film: Fast Food Nation

“I had to read this novel while in culinary school to set the scene for our in depth look at 21st century consumerism and food choices. The book made a big impact on me, causing me to me think about my food choices and how I could make simple changes to be healthier and make less of an impact, to be more aware of my food choices. It also painted a much better picture of the grim reality our country faces when it comes to food, and that most of us are oblivious to our downward spiral.In his critique of contemporary American life, Richard Linklater sets the scene by using characters who have a relationship with the meat industry, attempting to make it relatable.  I feel that the movie failed to deliver on what made the book a really good read for me. The movie adaptation uses the fictional town of Cody, Colorado to show the gruesomeness and reality of our modern day food crises, but Linklater uses too many characters and too many stories to get the point across, hence losing focus by starting a lot and finishing nothing.Just when you are getting to know a character and relating to them, the movie transitions to another character in hopes that by combining all of their stores and plights, you understand the overall reality.  But all it did was confuse the issues that were communicated so clearly in the book in a way that is overly preachy for its own good . With the cow slaughter in the end, all I was left with was a feeling of nausea.  The movie would have been much more impactful if it steered clear of fiction and delved into the science – the truth behind it all – instead of getting caught up in an extensive big name cast and their fake stories.”