A biopic about the conception of the Flamin’ Hot Cheeto may seem like a watershed moment for pessimists who claim Hollywood is running out of ideas.  But, I implore those movie goers to change their attitude and give Flamin’ Hot a shot, especially if they’re looking for a winning Father’s Day flick.  The film’s messaging about integrity, determination, and self-encouragement is enough to crack the toughest nut.

Using Richard Montañez’s autobiography “A Boy, A Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive” and stories provided by Montañez and wife Judy Montañez, Flamin’ Hot chronicles the now-retired Frito-Lay employee from his criminal life to legendary status as snack-food trailblazer.  Portraying Richard is Jesse Garcia (The Mother), who does a very good job at showcasing an endearing evolution of desperation.  Richard’s negative stress, which includes racial discrimination and trying to fill the role as a reliant breadwinner for his family, takes an optimistic turn when he secures a job on Frito-Lay’s custodial team and becomes inspired by the manual labourers around him.  The audience can’t help but slap on a goofy grin as we watch a gung-ho Richard pester people in order to learn more about his company.  He understands the seniority and his role at the company, but nothing stops his curiosity.

When Richard sees a lack of Mexican representation in the snack selection, he puts in the work to have an organic product exist on supermarket shelves that not only his culture can connect to, but would open the field for a new “punchy” taste for everyone to enjoy.

Flamin’ Hot feels like a commercial towards the end when it pushes the Cheetos towards the forefront.  However, leading up to those scenes, Flamin’ Hot is a really sweet flick about inspiration and the endurance it takes to maintain it.  Eva Longoria (Unplugging) takes, what I am expecting, a brief hiatus from acting to direct Flamin’ Hot, and the movie is a great display of what she can bring to the table as an empathetic filmmaker.  The viewer feels her connection to the material, as well as her good-natured intentions towards blue-collar workers.  After all, the film’s main directive is to show that hard work can pay off; which the movie accomplishes well.

Longoria brings an energetic zest to the movie, which is a huge help when most of this story takes place in the manufacturing plant at Frito-Lay.  She plays towards the convenient factors in the story, which doesn’t always pan out;  providing soft edges for this family-friendly biopic but also feeling like this retelling may be slightly embellished.  However, the movie’s transparency owns up to these storytelling shortcuts, making it hard for the viewer to nitpick its confidence.  Maybe Montañez really did live across the street to his past.  Maybe he could just pick up the phone and talk to the PepsiCo CEO Roger Enrico (Tony Shalhoub).  Do you buy it?  Maybe not.  Will you believe that Montañez will do whatever it takes for people to try a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto?  You betcha.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie