The Founder

The Founder is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Robert Siegel. Starring Michael Keaton as businessman Ray Kroc, the film depicts the story of his creation of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain, which eventually involved forcing out the company's original founders to take control with conniving ruthlessness. Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch co-star as McDonald's founders Richard and Maurice McDonald, alongside Linda Cardellini as Ray Kroc's third wife Joan Smith, and B. J. Novak as McDonald's president and chief executive Harry J. Sonneborn. The film premiered at Arclight Hollywood on December 7, 2016, and was released theatrically in the United States on January 20, 2017, by the Weinstein Company. It grossed $24 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Keaton's performance.

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- How ya feelin'?

The Founder

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That must've been some spill. I felt it through the phone.

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Here, I brought ya... I brought ya some...

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I'll set it right here.

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Dick. There's a card in there.

The Founder

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Go ahead. - That's okay. - Here. Just... I think you'll be happy.

The Founder

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- What's this? - What's it look like? - A blank check.

The Founder

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- Then that's ahh... that's probably what it is. - What are you buying?

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- Okay. You get better, you'll be up on your feet in no time. And we'll talk. All right. Dick.

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- We will never beat him.

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We will never be rid of him.

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- Dick McDonald on the line.

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- Hello, Dick. 2. 7 Million. It's a million for each of us after taxes.

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And one percent of the company's profits in perpetuity.

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- That's outrageous! That's borderline extortion! That's a bunch of bullshit! Bullshit! - I know it seems like a lot now... - Yeah, that seems like a lot of money anytime. - And they want one other thing. - What? - San Bernardino. - Uh-uh. No way. - To give to their longtime employees as a gift. - I need the profits from San Bernardino in order to pay off the purchase loan. - I've spoken at length about it with their lawyers. It's unfortunately, non-negotiable. Our client agrees fully with your conditions of sale, with one exception. Your one percent cut of future corporate earnings will have to be carried out on a handshake basis.

The Founder

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- It's my investor group. The financing is contingent on leaving that out of the contract, and unfortunately, this deal just doesn't happen, it doesn't get financed unless you leave that out of the contract. Because unfortunately, that's... that's a deal breaker for them.

The Founder

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Look fellas, you'll get your full royalties. All right?

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You've got my word on that. Dick, Mac.

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Let's make a deal.

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All right. - All right, gentlemen, if you would turn to page four of your contract. That's the first set of signatures to go over. - I just have to ask you one thing. Something I've never understood. - All right. - That day we met, we gave you the tour. - Uh-huh. What about it? - We showed you everything. The whole system, all our secrets. We were an open book. So why didn't you just... - Steal it? Just grab your ideas, run off, start my own business using all those ideas of yours. Would have failed. - How do you know? - Am I the only one who got the kitchen tour? You must've invited lots of people back there. - And? - How many of them succeed? - Lots of people started restaurants. - As big as McDonald's? Of course not. No one ever has and no one ever will. Because they all lack that one thing that makes McDonald's special. - Which is...?

The Founder