Don Anderson (Greg Kinnear) is the Mickey’s food restaurant chain’s Marketing Director. He is the inventor of the “Big One” the hamburger best seller of Mickey’s. An independent research reports the presence of cow’s feces in the Big One. So Don is sent to Cody, Colorado, to verify if the slaughterhouse, main supplier of Mickey’s, is efficient as it appears and the production process is regular. During his investigations he discovers the horrible truth behind a simple hamburger; the reality is not like we think it is. Don discovers that the mass production system involves from the temp workers like Amber (Ashley Jonhson), to the exploitation of Mexican irregular immigrants. It is not only the meat that is crush in the mincing machine, but all our society.

When Waring Hudsucker, head of hugely successful Hudsucker Industries, commits suicide, his board of directors, led by Sidney Mussberger, comes up with a brilliant plan to make a lot of money: appoint a moron to run the company. When the stock falls low enough, Sidney and friends can buy it up for pennies on the dollar, take over the company, and restore its fortunes. They choose idealistic Norville Barnes, who just started in the mail room. Norville is whacky enough to drive any company to ruin, but soon, tough reporter Amy Archer smells a rat and begins an undercover investigation of Hudsucker Industries.

Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) is the big superstore Foxbooks owner. He opens up his store near many small book shops and runs them all out of business - including The Shop Around The Corner owned by Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan). Little do each Kathleen and Joe know that: even though they hate each other in person - through the Internet they are in love.