The Defiant Ones Directed by Allen Hughes
Rating *****
I have two very good recommendations for your streaming queue. First up is the four part HBO documentary The Defiant Ones. This documentary takes a look at the two men behind the insane Beats music deal with Apple – Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. The documentary shows how these two men , with very different backgrounds, ended up forming a partnership. As for the music, my tastes are with Jimmy Iovine. He worked with artists such as Tom Petty, Bruce Springston, and Stevie Nicks. Dr. Dre came from a rap and hip hop background. My personal opinion about rap and hip hop is that it is performed by people who have zero musical talent. Their only skill is the ability to string a few vulgar phrases together along with a beat. There’s no melody; there’s little to no actual music; and there’s little to distinguish one headache inducing rap from another. This four hour film did nothing to change my opinion. Still, I enjoyed watching how Dr. Dre turned his lack of musical talent into a multi-million dollar empire. The same is true with Jimmy Iovine. What he lacked in talent he made up for in drive and persistence. You don’t have to be a fan of rap or hip hop to enjoy this documentary series.
The Founder written by Robert Siegel and directed by John Lee Hancock
Rating *****
The Founder tells the story of McDonalds. Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc, who weaseled his way into the hamburger chain. McDonalds revolutionized the fast food industry. They were first to perfect the idea. Ray Kroc saw the potential very early on. He was not afraid to step over people to get what he wanted, and that includes the original founders of McDonalds Dick and Mac McDonald.
The story behind the franchise is one of foresight and deceit. Ray Kroc had the foresight to know that what worked in one restaurant in California could work everywhere. But he ultimately ended up deceiving the McDonald brothers and basically walked away with their idea. The sad part is that he could have accomplished his goals without stealing the name. He just as easily could have taken the ideas he learned from the McDonalds and started his own chain, just like the countless imitators that followed McDonalds. Steve Jobs stole from Zerox, but he didn’t still the name. He also never claimed of inventing the idea of the mouse and the graphical interface, as did Ray Kroc who convinced himself and others that he was indeed the founder of McDonalds.