McMillions

I’ve seen the first three chapters of the six-part series from executive producer Mark Wahlberg (which premieres Monday), and I’m champing at the bit for more of this jaw-dropper about how $24 million was stolen from the McDonald’s Monopoly game of the 1990s.

While McMillions is a surprisingly fun examination of the con and the con men, it’s also a worthy portrayal of the toll that predatory offers take on those most vulnerable to their poisoned charms.

The mindful storytellers carefully shift tones, sucking viewers into an outlandish story before driving home its substantive impact. Even knowing the ending, it’s hard to tell exactly how the docuseries will wrap things up in the back-half, but there’s plenty of great work present — in the structure and the story — to eagerly anticipate more.

It would have made a better Hollywood film than documentary series, were it not for one man who makes the whole thing irresistible. ... When Mathews is on screen, McMillions is a winner.

Vividly unravels a multi-million-dollar fraud targeting the popular McDonald's Monopoly promotional game. [3-16 Feb 2020, p.9]

If you’ve ever wondered why you never won more than free french fries while playing Monopoly, you’ll want to watch this docuseries.

I’ll be interested to see if McMillions does more to explore that angle in its last three episodes. For now, the first three chapters in this epic saga of burgers and lies definitely have my attention. Sure, if you want, you can even say they’ve stolen it.

It does what it should—and is what it ought to be: a highly entertaining tale of crime and punishment involving a bunch of mostly average people who wanted a free lunch and instead were served an Unhappy Meal of criminal justice.

The first three episodes of "McMillion$" unpack the incredible story of the McDonald's Monopoly scam with flair, even if the shape and contours of the series are familiar.

Though it's not especially good as a piece of formal filmmaking through its first three hours, McMillion$ tells a quirky and frequently hilarious tale filled with enough twists and turns that you'll swear it came from the keyboard of a Carl Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard.

While it’s not entirely successful, the directing team’s approach is certainly skillful, and McMillions is definitely a fun watch.