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.
400 degrees, right? That'a boy, way to work. Nice. Hey, hey, hey. There's one pickle on there. Two pickles on all the buns. Two pickles on all of them. Don't... don't... Look, watch. Flip 'em like that. You already turned them over and press them one time. And that one's too pink. All right. And you...
The Founder
- Really? - Really. Well, look what the cat dragged in. Hello, everyone. Hi there. Hi. Hey... How are ya? - Evening, stranger. - Good to see you. - Linda Ballen was just there, she adored it. - This is on the left side of the 14th fairway. - No, use your three-wood. - Hmm, three-wood. - Hit it clean. - I hear Acapulco is divine. - Where do you like, Ethel? - Umm, Spain. - Spain? - Wonderful. - Wow. How was it? - Oh no, I mean, I'm thinking about it. - Oh, you haven't been. - Well, we're dreaming of a trip, right? - Great, yeah.
The Founder
- How's your game, Ray? - Lately? - Non-existent. - I'm no Ben Hogan myself. - No kidding? - Haha, yeah. I did hit a hole-in-one of a sort, recently though. I came across an really, really interesting business opportunity. Really interesting. You boys are gonna want a piece of this. - Here we go again. - What is it this time, Ray? - Restaurant. - New kind of restaurant. - New how? Restaurant filled with milkshakes and Fold-a-Nooks?
The Founder
- Well, do tell us more. - I will. This is a thing of beauty. Fully automated kitchen. Likes of which I've never seen. It's revolutionary. It's called the Speedee System. The thing I like about this, it's franchisable. The first one is already up and running. Come on over and take a look. Might make you boys a few dollars.
The Founder
You don't have to worry about a thing. We're in charge of everything after. And all these franchises look exactly the same. I would have never thought but younger workers are better. They're hustling, they're ambitious. Easy as pie. You just pay the franchise fee, we take care of everything else. I'll tell you the whole thing.
The Founder
- Congratulations. - All right. - Three new franchises in the last month. - Well, that's great. What? - I don't know. - What? - Don't you think maybe, given our experience, that this is all happening a little too quickly? If they all pop up at once, how is he going to maintain standards?
The Founder