What: Flamin' Hot
Where to watch: Hulu and Disney+
Premiere date: June 9, 2023
Following its wildly successful premiere at SXSW, Eva Longoria's charming directorial debut, Flamin' Hot, is scorching its path to streaming. If you're ready to munch on some Flamin' Hot Cheetos and learn about the man who claims he made them, here's everything you need to know.
Where can I watch Flamin' Hot?
Flamin' Hot is the first feature film to simultaneously stream on both Hulu and Disney+.
What is Flamin' Hot about?
Inspired by the true story of Richard Montañez (played by Jesse Garcia), Flamin' Hot follows Montañez's course from janitor to executive at Frito-Lay, thanks to his life-changing invention: Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
Although Montañez did become a top executive at Frito-Lay in real life, his claim to Cheetos success was notably debunked by the Los Angeles Times in 2021; the paper revealed that no records confirmed Montañez's involvement with the spicy snack. Flamin' Hot, however, sticks to Montañez's narrative as inspired by his memoir, A Boy, a Burrito, and a Cookie, and dramatizes his success story.
Flamin' Hot also stars Annie Gonzalez, Emilio Rivera, Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Matt Walsh, Bobby Soto, and Pepe Serna.
What are people saying about Flamin' Hot?
On the film, Mashable's Kristy Puchko writes, "Flamin' Hot strives to celebrate Montañez's success story, whether or not it's real, and whether or not it's actually all that hopeful. The film white-knuckles its way through potentially derailing dramatic plot points — including possible prison sentences, poverty, racism, and domestic violence — to keep relentlessly upbeat. Once you push past Richard's charming sales pitch, told through voiceovers and energetic fantasy sequences where he imagines himself alternatively as the center of a 1950s sitcom, an '80s movie hero, or an avenging angel, the pluckiness of it all is thinner than Lay's flagship potato snack."
Puchko continues, "Truth or fiction, Flamin' Hot is a charming romp that boasts a celebration of family, innovation, and moxie. However, for all its energy, the film's exploration of the American dream — and the obstacles to achieving it — is vexingly shallow. In the end, Flamin' Hot is fleeting fun that may well leave you hungry for something more substantial."
To stream Flamin' Hot, hit those two buttons below to subscribe to Hulu or Disney+ for as little as $7.99/month.
