[Rating: Minor Rock Fist Up]
Now streaming on Hulu and Disney+
As a teacher to pre-teens, I can tell you for a fact: the spicier the chip, the more kids are going to crave it. Hot chips are some of the best-selling snack items ever made. If you’re wondering if there should be a movie about the creation of hot chips—in particular, Cheetos Flamin’ Hot chips, the answer is a resounding NO. But this is 2023 and at this point, why not? Flamin’ Hot (directed by Eva Longoria in her directorial debut) tells the story of Richard Montañez and the creation of the greatest chip ever made, according to some.
In the 1980s, Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) was a struggling father. Along with his wife Judy (Annie Gonzalez), they both face the economic crisis that looms over their small family. He gets a job at potato-chip giant Frito-Lay as a janitor but begins to notice the more mechanical part of the factory. He earns the respect of floorman Clarence Baker (Dennis Haysbert), as he questions every bit of the factory. While noticing one day his children’s delight over spicy foods, and remembering some chips, particularly Cheetos are thrown out if they overcook, Montañez puts forth an idea to take the flavor of elote (street corn) and Cheetos and put them together. After many tests with Judy, Montañez takes his idea to the top CEO of the company Roger Enrico (Tony Shalhoub) to help save the company by reaching the Latino market. And thus, a flavor was born.
I highly suggest looking up the true story of Richard Montañez and his relationship with Frito-Lay. In terms of this film, it is more of a hopeful fantasy of something that could have happened. This new trend of “how it was made” biopics are already getting old. I very much appreciate a story of a Latino, directed by a Latina, but in all honesty, Flamin’ Hot is rather dull. It follows too many tropes I’ve seen in these DIY biopics. The over-used narration is too much for this. Let the story tell its story without narration. I’m sure audiences can understand what is happening. It’s potato chips for goodness sake!
While the story of Flamin’ Hot lives in more myth than reality, the idea of putting stories about strong minded Latino people is always an A in my book. Longoria’s directorial debut is a triumph in even getting this story out. Though it may run the gamut of being a fairly typical biopic, it’s still an interesting story— and the movie made me eat Flamin’ Hot Cheetos for the first time in my life.
Christian Ramos is a classic film fan, having had the dream to host Turner Classic Movies for years now. He also has a large amount of Oscar trivia in his head, remembers dressing as Groucho Marx one Halloween, and cherishes the moment Julianne Moore liked his tweet.
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