The movie opens with Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) trying to sell a milkshake machine to a restaurant. After a string of such failures, he checks in with the office to learn that someone has ordered 6 milkshake machines. Thinking it is a mistake - who could possibly need to make 30 shakes at the same time? - he calls the customer. Richard McDonald confirms the order but is much too busy to talk. Intrigued, Ray drives from St. Louis, Missouri to San Bernardino, California. He finds the McDonald's hamburger stand serves food in an instant! Fascinated by their business model, he asks the brothers, Richard (Nick Offerman) and Mac (John Carroll Lynch), to dinner where he learns about their history and the Speedee Service System. Inspired, he partners with the brothers to start franchises.
Though the movie almost exclusively follows Ray, it does not paint a flattering picture of him. He appears to be a failed salesman who has had a number of failed get-rich schemes in his past. His original franchising contract with the McDonalds proves to be too constraining and he repeatedly finds his efforts to economize vetoed by them. However, he finds loopholes that eventually allow him to outmaneuver the brothers and takeover. The movie recognizes his persistence and his vision but often focuses more on his flaws. The building of the most successful restaurant chain in the world is just a case of intellectual property theft. Ray Kroc made the McDonald brothers rich but he's the bad guy. Then again, even with all the negatives about Ray, I came out of the film admiring his moxie and achievement. When he signed the contract in 1955, there was 1 McDonalds. When he died in 1984, there were 7,500! That's a new McDonalds ever 34 hours for 29 years.
A great biopic of an extraordinary visionary.
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