Hamburger America

This movie, a documentary about small, single-owner hamburger establishments around the US, says a lot more about the people than it does about the burgers themselves. The movie is about how small businesses dedicated to doing one thing well (burgers) can become local, if not national, icons. The movie also serves as an unofficial recipe for success in the precarious restaurant business. The overwhelming message of the movie is consistency, quality and dedication to customers is what makes something as pedestrian as a burger joint more than just a restaurant. Also, it says a lot about quality. All of the owners in this movie care about the products they turn out, not so much about how much money they could make franchising — or selling outright — the concepts that make them local landmarks. It's a charming movie about something a lot of people don't think too much about. Well worth the watch and something to think about next time you're ranging around the continental US.