Flamin’ Hot is the story of Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia). Montañez at a young age displayed a knack for machines and learning. Despite this, his Mexican heritage coupled with systemic racism meant a hard life while growing up on the west coast of the US. After dodging the law, but starting a family, Montañez turns to honest work. After landing a janitorial position at Frito-Lay, Montañez befriends Clarence C. Baker (Dennis Haysbert), and they bond over their ambition stymied by those with power. When layoffs threaten his factory job and the snack industry at large, Montañez comes up with a revolutionary idea: a spicy snack food flavor inspired by his Mexican culture.
What works in Flamin’ Hot is the heart and theme. First-time director Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) presents Montañez in such an affable light, it’s nearly impossible not to root for him. As Montañez struggles, navigates, and persists Flamin’ Hot gives off a lot of positive vibes related to determination in the face of adversity. The film trumpets: 1) don’t ever be embarrassed about where you come from; and 2) choose your own path, ignoring others’ attempts to belittle or hinder. Longoria strikes an enjoyable balance between warmth, comedy, and some honest portrayals of the harsh reality minorities have had and continue to face.
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People who prefer their historical dramas to be more truth than fiction may not Flamin’ Hot as much as others. While this story of rags to riches is not completely fabricated, the deviation from actual events (or at least the lack of clarity about what really happened) might detract from the overall narrative. A 2021 Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that the majority of this story comes from Montañez’s depiction—a version that Frito-Lay executives could not corroborate. This calls into question just how much of the tale has been fabricated for dramatic effect. For example, a pivotal moment shows Montañez cold-calling the president of Frito-Lay, Roger Enrico (Tony Shalhoub) to pitch his idea. This could not have happened as the Flamin’ Hot line of snacks was in the market before Enrico even arrived at the company. These discrepancies could undercut the emotional soul of the film for some viewers.
Flamin’ Hot is unfortunately a bit of a tough sell, depending on your perspective. On one hand, there are plenty of great rise-through-the-ranks stories to tell, so perhaps time would have been better served on one that held more validity. On the other, there is an important and inspiring message that no one should ever be trivialized, and the world could always use more reminders of that.
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Flamin’ Hot is available exclusively in theaters starting on June 9th.
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