Flamin’ Hot

Release Date: June 9, 2023

Watch Date: June 20 – June 21, 2023

“‘Flamin’ Hot’ is the inspiring story of Richard Montanez, the Frito Lay Janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn the iconic Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global pop culture phenomenon.”

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    I have never once, in my entire life, had a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto. Except for when I was pregnant with our first born, by primarily Northern European family history shines through, and if asked at a restaurant for my preferred spice level on a scale of one-to-ten, I will always respond with; “Something in the negatives.” Bob is a lover of all spicy foods, and was exposed to plenty of them as he was growing up. Plus, his sense of smell and taste is pretty poor, so preparing dinners in our house, with two young children for whom any flavor seems to be too much, a woman who avoids spice like the plague, and a man who can’t get enough is an adventure. Still, snacks are a personal preference, so he can eat all the ‘Flamin’ Hot’ anything he wants, and I’ll stick with chocolate.

    I also grew up in an upper/middle class family, and yes, we worked hard for everything we had, but my parents still took my brother and I for vacations every year, and we left the country every two or three. There was never a fear of not being able to replace something, and food was taken for granted. Bob did not live that life, Bob spent his early years living in a bad part of town, watching people casually sell drugs, fight, he’s been homeless, on food stamps, he’s tried to be less hungry so that his brother’s could have more.

    All of this convoluted prelude to say that – I have a harder time relating to this story than Bob does. Bob, even if he is from a different Latin based culture, recognizes the characters in this story, the arc of Richard’s life. He sees the choices he made, and knows how difficult they were. He sees pieces of his family, his friends, stories here. This film is relatable, and it refused to be anything less than honest about the struggles facing a minority family in a very Western culture of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, where asking for help is a difficulty, and needing aid from the government is looked down on, where having a different skin tone or speaking a different language can make you feel ashamed and unwelcome, even if you’re living in the only country you’ve ever known.

    What I love about this movie is that it can tackle these difficult topics; racism, poverty, child abuse, and it can do so in a way that feels incredibly serious, while the tone of the movie still remains light and fun. Sure, Richard and Judy’s parents beat them, but don’t forget at the end of this day this movie is about Cheetos. With the cool Cheetah mascot? You can’t be too depressed about a movie that talks about Cheetos can you? We need to have some flights of fancy, some white men in stuffy board rooms talking like they’re from the street. Because ultimately, this is a happy story, about the underdog achieving great things. Richard freely admits to his wrongdoings in his past, and he grows from them – never taking a step backward. The plot you expect, where he cheats, or gets back into drug dealing, it never occurs. It’s just a man working to better his family, to prove himself in a society that has decided he’s not worth anything.

    The relationship between Judy and Richard is definitely a highlight, do they always agree? No. But do they believe in each other, love each other, and put the other one first? Absolutely. It is a relationship to be emulated by all, where disagreements and hurts can exist, but they can exist in a space where you trust that your partner is always doing their best, where you believe in them, where you think the best of them. Judy is, as Bob put it, a ride-or-die, and in a world where too often we want perfection from our partners, our relationships, or we walk out of them, Richard and Judy are an excellent example of how perfection isn’t necessary, but love and dedication are.

    Bob’s favorite character, however, was not Judy, or even Richard. Bob loved Richard’s youngest son, who’s name I couldn’t tell you if I tried. He’s spunky, unafraid to speak his mind, and incredibly proud of his heritage and his family. Besides that, Clarence is another stand out, someone you worry will be betrayed but only works hard, does his best by his friends, and reaps the benefits from it. Personally, I enjoyed the arc of Richard’s friend, Tony, who is trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but shows that not all ‘gangsters’ are bad guys – some are just trying to pay for the treatment of their sickly mother, and would rather be doing so in a legal way, if only they could manage it and be given a shot.

    Bob and I loved every second of it, and immediately recommended it to my father – who is always interested in a good biopic. If you’re interested in something lighthearted, something with a happy ending, something where the good guys win, this is the film for you. If you just really like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, or any Flamin’ Hot branded (I was unaware that Flamin’ Hot Mt. Dew was a thing but Bob assures me that it was and that it was weird) item and you want to discover how your food was invented you could do a lot worse. I don’t know how accurate this is to the actual story of his life, but there is an autobiography that the film was based on, and if you’re interested I’m sure you could do some extra credit reading. I know that I will be.

    All in all, I’m glad to have started off the ‘free pick’ section of June on such a high note, and I can’t wait to see what Bob picks as his first choice.