Flamin’ Hot is an autobiographical look at the story of Richard Montanez (Jesse Garcia), the son of a Mexican immigrant, who becomes a janitor at Frito-Lay after his wife Judy (Annie Gonzalez) becomes pregnant with their first child and begs him to exchange their former life in the streets for stability. The Montanez family struggles mightily to make ends meet while Richard tries frantically, but in vain, to find steady, lucrative work. After spending time with his sons in the park one day following a message from Frito-Lay CEO Roger Enrico (Tony Shalhoub) calling on all employees to “Think like a CEO”, Richard comes up with the idea to incorporate the spicy flavors of the Latino community into Frito-Lay snacks like Doritos, Fritos, and Cheetos. Soon, the entire Montanez family works to help Richard sell his idea to Frito-Lay executives before the local distribution plant closes and Richard is out of a job.
Anyone familiar with the story of Richard Montanez would expect the film adaptation of his story to focus on the motivational and inspiring aspects of his rise to top executive at Frito-Lay. And while the film does definitely mainly hit these story beats, there are some thematic surprises in store that have been included by director Eva Longoria and writers Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chavez. Flamin’ Hot spends substantial time delving into the sociological aspects of Montanez’s life as a poor, working class janitor from an immigrant background experiencing the racism of the 60s, 70s, and 80s and the cultural challenges of being Latino. The film depicts the racism facing Latinos during the era, from the overt to microaggressions and the effect this can have on young children especially. Richard himself cites his mistreatment and assumed criminality due to his ethnicity as a driver for his troubled youth and as he matures into a family man, the same racism begins to affect his children. Unlike Richard, his children are fortunate to have a father who teaches them to take pride in their heritage and appreciate it, a mindset that fuels Richard to eventually launch the Flamin’ Hot brand internally as a janitor with a vision and belief in his people and their buying power.
Resistance to Montanez’s journey doesn’t only emanate from the outside, Richard’s strained relationship with his father Vacho (Emilio Rivera) delves into the issue of the pressure many immigrant children are placed under by their parents to succeed in the way that their parent desires, rather than forging their own individual path. Vacho was tough on Richard his entire life, speaking negatively on his every move and letting him know his best was never as good as it needed to be. These seeds of doubt were the only mental impediment that the preternaturally determined Richard encountered on his quest to make something of himself and are a family dynamic that many in the audience may unfortunately relate to. Garcia and Rivera work well together in presenting the complex and fraught relationship between father and son onscreen and all the emotionality that comes with it.
Flamin’ Hot doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It follows the familiar beats of a story that is a feel good, family oriented film about perseverance and overcoming the odds. This film containing a genericness that doesn’t bring anything new to the fold doesn’t mean that it isn’t an entertaining and worthwhile watch, however. Flamin’ Hot is funny and has characters that moves viewers to care about their lives and become invested in their outcomes, despite being based on a true story with a predetermined and widely known outcome. Pulling this off despite the familiar feel of the film is no small feat and speaks to quality even in the face of the film being typical of its genre. Jesse Garcia and Annie Gonzalez work well together and are charming as a husband and wife battling to rise out of poverty while still loving and supporting one another and their children. Flamin’ Hot’s depiction of racism and other sociological issues does well in painting an all-encompassing picture of the obstacles Richard faced while not coming across as too heavy handed, a testament to the film’s writing and direction. While Flamin’ Hot won’t win any points for originality, it will put a smile on many viewers’ faces and remind us of what ingenuity, love, and pride for community can accomplish.
Image: Hulu
