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- 2023
- PG-13
- 1 h 39 m
- 2023
- PG-13
- 1 h 39 m
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.
Directed By: Eva Longoria
- 2023
- PG-13
- 1 h 39 m
- 2023
- PG-13
- 1 h 39 m
Flamin' Hot
58
5.7
Where to Watch
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.
Directed By: Eva Longoria
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 31 Critic Reviews
58
45% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
52% Mixed
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
3% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 31 Critic Reviews
58
45% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
52% Mixed
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
3% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
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.
Garcia delivers a standout turn as Richard. It helps that he’s not yet a household name, so he isn’t carrying the baggage of any external frames of reference. His earnest and engrossing performance absolutely carries Flamin’ Hot.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 19 User Ratings
5.7
32% Positive
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
58% Mixed
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
11% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 19 User Ratings
5.7
32% Positive
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
58% Mixed
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
11% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
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 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.
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(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.
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Flamin' Hot is a charming and funny rags-to-riches story with a strong cast, some clever editing, and good use of narration as comedy that make up for its superficial depth.
Playfully presented, it’s the kind of mildly tasty cinematic snack that doesn’t exactly stick to your ribs.
Even without the questions about the veracity of the story, its rah-rah style makes it feel superficial rather than sweeping. In the end, Flamin’ Hot comes across as a selling of a story and a brand rather than a genuine retelling of one.
Longoria, working from a screenplay by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chávez, sprinkles lessons in self-esteem throughout. (The movie is Longoria’s feature directing debut.) And the women here — including Montañez’s mother and Judy — are more than run-of-the-mill catalysts. Still, should it come as a surprise that a movie this puffed up has a dusting of flavors that might not be real?
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.
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 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.
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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 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.
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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.
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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 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.
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Production Company
Franklin Entertainment,
Searchlight Pictures
Release Date Jun 9, 2023
Duration 1 h 39 m
Rating PG-13
Tagline The Flavor You Know. The Story You Don't.
Awards
Imagen Foundation Awards
• 4 Nominations
Palm Springs International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
SXSW Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
