Fast Food Nation

A 2006 American mockumentary political satire black comedy film directed by Richard Linklater and co-written with Eric Schlosser, based on Schlosser's 2001 non-fiction book of the same name. The film is an international co-production between the United States and the United Kingdom and examines the fast-food industry's impact on American society through the interconnected stories of several characters. Don Anderson (Greg Kinnear), the marketing director of the "Mickey's" hamburger chain who developed their most popular product, the "Big One," travels to the fictional town of Cody, Colorado, to investigate reports of fecal contamination in the meat at the local Uni-Globe meatpacking plant, the company's main meat supplier. During an official tour, he is shown only the pristine areas of production, assuring him of the product's cleanliness. However, skeptical of the facade, Don meets with former cattle supplier Rudy Martin (Kris Kristofferson) and his housekeeper, who confirm that due to the plant's high production levels, many safety regulations are ignored, and workers cannot prevent fecal matter from contaminating the meat. Concurrently, the story follows Amber (Ashley Johnson), a young "Mickey's" employee who begins to question the moral and ethical issues of the fast-food industry while working at the restaurant. Her uncle Pete (Ethan Hawke) encourages her to consider her future and the possibility of leaving town. Simultaneously, a group of Mexican immigrants, including Raul (Wilmer Valderrama), his love interest Sylvia (Catalina Sandino Moreno), and her sister Coco (Ana Claudia Talancón), illegally cross the border seeking employment at the Uni-Globe plant. Raul becomes a cleaner, while Coco works on the meat processing conveyor belt. Sylvia, unable to endure the working conditions, finds a job as a hotel maid. The film addresses themes of corporate greed, exploitation of immigrant workers, environmental and ethical consequences of mass-produced fast food, and the personal moral dilemmas faced by the characters. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2006, and was released in the United States on November 17, 2006. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed approximately $2.2 million worldwide.