Flamin' Hot

Name: Flamin' Hot
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Released: June 9, 2023
Duration: 99 min
Rating: 58
Cast: Annie Gonzalez, Bobby Soto, Brice Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Emilio Rivera

2023

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 17 Ratings

See All

5.7

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5.7	Your Score
5.7	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 17 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Flamin' Hot: Viva La Revolucion! (Featurette)

Now Playing: Flamin' Hot: Viva La Revolucion! (Featurette)

Movie Details & Credits

Hulu | Release Date (Streaming): June 9, 2023 | PG-13

Starring: Annie Gonzalez, Bobby Soto, Brice Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Emilio Rivera, Jesse Garcia, Lora Martinez-Cunningham, Matt Walsh, Pepe Serna, Tony Shalhoub, Vanessa Martinez

Summary: Flamin' Hot is the story of Richard Montañez, the Frito Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn Flamin' Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global phenomenon.

Director: Eva Longoria

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 99 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Michael Talbot-Haynes

Jun 16, 2023

Watching Flamin’ Hot mirrors the joy of scarfing down a bag of the crunchy red stuff yourself. It makes your eyebrows raise, is instantly addictive, and goes by very fast. Read full review

Frank Scheck

Mar 11, 2023

The film’s lengthy chronology and constantly shifting tones would be challenging for any director, but Longoria, making her feature debut, handles things expertly, infusing the proceedings with a loving appreciation and authentic-feeling depiction of the Latino community at its core. Read full review

The Film Stage John Fink

Mar 13, 2023

Embellishments aside, Flamin’ Hot is like the perfect snack or comfort food: consistent, delivering an experience that pleases because it is so familiar, and a classic Hollywood rags-to-riches story with a heavy dose of Latin flavor. Read full review

Screen Rant Mae Abdulbaki

Mar 16, 2023

Flamin’ Hot is not only entertaining, but feels like a warm hug. It’s sentimental enough, but doesn’t overstay its welcome. Longoria has ultimately crafted a sweet, funny, and bright movie that will surely have viewers looking up Montañez on Google after the film ends. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Jun 9, 2023

Playfully presented, it’s the kind of mildly tasty cinematic snack that doesn’t exactly stick to your ribs. Read full review

IndieWire Kate Erbland

Mar 11, 2023

It’s entertaining enough, but this is a story that doesn’t feel real, mostly because it isn’t. Read full review

Alison Willmore

Jun 15, 2023

What makes Flamin’ Hot such a depressing offering isn’t the relative truthiness of its source material, but the qualities it holds aloft as inspiring. Read full review

SEE ALL 31 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

alanpotter17

Jun 13, 2023

O "American way of life" latinizado para dar a sensação de que o capitalismo, com criatividade e empenho, consegue ceder espaço a todos que se propõe rodar a engrenagem do sistema, lotado com frases retirada de típicos manuais baratos de empreendedorismo.
Ainda assim, conta com certaO "American way of life" latinizado para dar a sensação de que o capitalismo, com criatividade e empenho, consegue ceder espaço a todos que se propõe rodar a engrenagem do sistema, lotado com frases retirada de típicos manuais baratos de empreendedorismo.
Ainda assim, conta com certa passagem autoconsciente do sistema reprodutor de desigualdades, como por exemplo a cena em que explora a hierarquia da fábrica, deixando muito claro o terreno desigual em que pisa. Seu grande mérito, sem dúvidas, está na edição sempre ágil, na típica fotografia amarelada (até quando os latinos serão retratados nestas cores? No entanto, ficou bonito), e principalmente no subtexto do protagonista, sua atuação contida dá conta de construção de um personagem cativante.
O filme inicia na infância de Montañez, naquele típico ar de infância sofrida mas que mantem o apego à sua identidade original, e isso fará toda a diferença no desenrolar da trama. Contando com uma esposa amorosa e com as dificuldades inerentes aos latinos em terras norte-americanas, seu texto pode até soar expositivo demais para o padrão cinematográfico, mas como dizem, mais didático impossível.
O protagonista então navega entre o tráfico e a prisão (retratado em uma edição frenética) até parar numa grande fábrica como faxineiro, sem ao menos ter o ensino médio.
Longe de romantizar a situação dificultosa, não apenas pela sua origem étnica mas pela falta de estudos a que o personagem principal se depara.
Sua mulher, romance de infância, encarna a personagem feminina típica, submissa até certo ponto, rígida quando precisa elevar a moral do marido. Com três filhos, o filme vai acompanhando o tempo de crescimento dos pimpolhos juntamente com os planos de crescimento de Richard, que é desafiado no governo Reagan a finalmente expor sua ideia sobre o Cheetos picante.
Não sei até que ponto o filme romantiza a ligação de toda essa ideia de marketing com o peso da cultura latina na terra do tio Sam. Mas o fato é que por ser uma comédia, as caricaturas e o tom sempre acima funcionam muito bem para a proposta do filme, fugindo do melodrama e acertando em cheio no sonho oculto por tornar a jornada épica.
Peca pela verossimilhança, e por se entregar de vez ao mainstream, tanto é assim que a cena final tenta "consertar" o estrago ao filmar o já bem sucedido personagem de Montañez dando visibilidade aos funcionários do baixo clero que lhe servem em um restaurante de luxo, do garçom ao manobrista. É uma espécie de "mea culpa".
Com tiradas reflexivas sobre as desigualdades provocadas pelo capitalismo no maior país aberto ao mercado do mundo, assim como com comprovações que o filme assegura a enterga ao sistema, sendo basicamente um grito antianarquista e um ode ao empreendedorismo em sua visão mais torpe, superficial e iludida, temos ao menos um filme que diverte e conta com personagens carismáticos, ao mesmo tempo que a caricatura de alguns ajuda no riso. Entre ficar com um besteirol cômico e um filme que ao menos retrata o mundo do trabalho de forma afetada mas divertida, longe da genialidade de Chaplin, mas muito perto por dialogar com seu público alvo, "Flaming" acaba sendo uma boa opção da alienação e do conservadorismo dos trabalhadores ao sistema. Tendo isso em vista, que é basicamente um filme conformista, não há de se esperar muito. tal qual um conto de fadas, cumpre a missão de vender uma ideia de entrega ao sistema, ao menos vemos chegar ao topo um homem latino, juntamente com seu colega negro. Uma exceção da exceção, que pelo menos nos faz sonhar por uma hora e meia de sua projeção.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Mauro_Lanari

Jun 16, 2023

(Mauro Lanari)
An extraordinarily polite, kind, humble, self-ironic debut with its little utopia of a very human and at the same time collectivist redemption. Capra and Disney had and still have quite different ambitions, and for this reason they have failed and continue to do so. Longoria(Mauro Lanari)
An extraordinarily polite, kind, humble, self-ironic debut with its little utopia of a very human and at the same time collectivist redemption. Capra and Disney had and still have quite different ambitions, and for this reason they have failed and continue to do so. Longoria keeps a low profile and thanks to it she gets a fairy tale of incredible effect. I didn't know the movie wanted to be a biopic, on the other hand if it hadn't been a fiction it couldn't have had its utopian characteristic. From the cast to the entire technical sector every element contributes to it: a tiny cinematic prodigy.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

troll22

Jun 14, 2023

Was good for what it was. Not movie of the year, but glad I watched it and would recommend

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Jun 11, 2023

Richard Montañez was a janitor at Frito Lay, who channeled his Mexican heritage by adding spicy heat to their products. Of course, Flamin' Hot Cheetos became a global phenomenon, but he had to endure the expected setbacks before finding success. There are a few light moments, but this isRichard Montañez was a janitor at Frito Lay, who channeled his Mexican heritage by adding spicy heat to their products. Of course, Flamin' Hot Cheetos became a global phenomenon, but he had to endure the expected setbacks before finding success. There are a few light moments, but this is more of an uplifting drama that addresses the discrimination he faced at every turn. In the title role, Jesse Garcia has assured energy, but director Eva Longoria has allowed the melodramatic aspects overshadow the fun. The result feels more like a Hallmark drama than a tasty cinematic treat.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Jun 9, 2023

With all the movies and series that have been made lately about entrepreneurs who started many of the most famous and powerful technology companies in the world, why not make one about a Latino who reinvented a snack?

And while it may sound a bit simplistic, that doesn't make it any lessWith all the movies and series that have been made lately about entrepreneurs who started many of the most famous and powerful technology companies in the world, why not make one about a Latino who reinvented a snack?

And while it may sound a bit simplistic, that doesn't make it any less so. It's a success story like Ben Affleck did recently with Air. So, what makes them so different? Its makers.

Affleck is a fairly experienced director. He knows his game and knew exactly what to do with his movie. Eva Longoria on the other hand comes across as a complete novice and decides to create something more focused on a soup opera style aimed at that demographic and goes for a tone that is much more cheesy than substantive.
You can buy into the story of course, but that doesn't mean you should underestimate your target audience.

There's charisma in this film, I'll give it that but in order to stand out you need a lot more than that.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

imthenoob

Jun 11, 2023

It's honestly your generic feel-good story about a guy who came from a tough family life, was a criminal, and ended up becoming a top executive at a company. While it is heavily disputed that he "created" Flamin Hot Cheetos, that is the least of this movie's problems. It's so predictable andIt's honestly your generic feel-good story about a guy who came from a tough family life, was a criminal, and ended up becoming a top executive at a company. While it is heavily disputed that he "created" Flamin Hot Cheetos, that is the least of this movie's problems. It's so predictable and uninspired that it feels like a copy and paste of the many similar films that came before it. There's no emotional weight to it at all. It's just bland.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

bertobellamy

Jun 11, 2023

A bad film full of cliches that, worst of all, gives a false impression about the product's origin and the capitalist system. Feels like a soap opera episode. Latino representation based on stereotypes. Shame on this movie.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SEE ALL 7 REVIEWS