The inspiring tale of how the delicious and popular snack came to be all due to the tenacity of one man, Richard Montañez. The film is directed by Eva Longoria, inspired by Montañez’s memoir “A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive.” Watching Eva Longoria’s directorial debut Flamin’ Hot was like when my mama would cook chiles on the comal, flooding your eyes with tears and making you choke till you’re gasping for air. It felt like watching a biography of my family, and in a way, it was.
The cast for this film did an amazing job playing their roles. We have Jesse Garcia as Richard Montañez, Annie Gonzalez as Judy, Emilio Rivera as Vacho Montañez, Bobby Soto as Tony Romero, Tony Shalhoub as Roger Enrico, Dennis Haysbert as Clarence C. Baker and sweet little Brice Gonzalez as Steven Montañez, who is also known for his role as George Lopez’s grandson in Lopez vs. Lopez with his daughter Mayan Lopez.
The struggle Latinos have gone through is a collective challenge we have all had to overcome. In no way does this mean that it belittles us but quite the opposite. It empowers us and serves as a reminder of how strong we can be and of all the obstacles we’ve overcome. That’s why when Jesse Garcia’s character, Montañez, finds out that his oldest son is being bullied, he explains to him not to be embarrassed about being Mexican by saying, “And you know why they don’t want you to be Mexican? Because they know it’s a superpower,” speaks volumes.
While there was the whole world we had to go up against, that wasn’t always what kept us down. Sometimes, it would be those closest to us. Throughout the film, we see that Richard’s father, Vacho, is the biggest struggle he has had to fight throughout his life. There’s a scene where Richard and his wife Judy visit his parents to talk about a job offer Vacho has for his son. The topic turns into a heated discussion when Vacho demands Richard respect him in front of his company, and Richard stands up to his dad and confronts him about the abuse he inflicted on him. That it wasn’t the physical abuse that hurt him but rather the voice of his father inside of his head, hearing him every day, that tore him down.
The film also has its light-hearted moments, like when Richard does his narrative voice-over, and we hear the familiar dialect most Latinos have grown up with when talking amongst their camaradas. I can pick many scenes where I can say that made me giggle because of how true the reaction and mannerisms were displayed. There are times when our patience will be tested, and we have to remind ourselves “to mind my gangster” and take a breather by counting down from 3, “3, 2, 1.”
Flamin’ Hot has become one of my favorite films of this year and, without fail, has made me feel seen, heard, and represented as a member of the Latino community. So for those of you who have not gotten to see this inspiring film, ponte las pilas and go watch it! Flamin’ Hot premiered on June 9th, 2023, and can be streamed on Hulu and Disney +.
