Where I Watched it: Disney plus

English Audio Description?: yes

Sometimes, with streaming films there is a vibe that they were either picked up at a festival, or at least developed with the intention of possibly going theatrical. Prey is a great example of this. It truly had a cinematic feel, despite debuting on Hulu. But, Flaming hot feels like one of those inspirational true stories that popped up during the Wonderful World Of Disney, and was just fine. i think there was one with Tony Danza? Most of them blended together.

If I had any idea as a high schooler that my favorite junk food would inspire a movie, or that the story behind those delicious Cheetos was interesting, I would have been shocked. A movie about Cheetos? What is this future?

But that’s the reality in this true story directed by Eva Longoria. We see the story of a man rise from nothing to a Frito lay executive all because he had an idea to spice up Cheetos. He was just a janitor at the time, but his pitch inspired a successful brand.

While his story is condensed and inspirational, and features a supporting cast like Tony Shaloub and Dennis Haysbert, the movie never really spent a lot of time investing in the heart of the story, between this Cheeto loving man and his supportive wife. She seems to just kind of appear, and they just happen. I know that can sometimes be how life and surprise pregnancies work, but in this film, investing more in her would have given the film more of an emotional core. King Richard largely failed to do this though, and Aunjuane Ellis still got an Oscar nomination for a rather underdeveloped character.

This film also does the Disney Plus version of racism, where they don’t like to really confront it head on, and instead have these extremely brief moments that seem to be largely ignored. Even our Cheeto hero, who narrates the story, seems to brush it off too. Racism. it ain’t no thing. Have a Cheeto instead!

As a biopic, it mostly works. it covers a lot of ground in a short period of time, but it feels like a biopic for kids. usually, I feel like some of the stuff Disney Plus puts out challenges its audience on some level, but this really tries to avoid doing so.

The audio description has a hell of a time, so I’ll give it a pass. when the characters aren’t talking within the context of the scene, we are bombarded with persistent narration. it’s a testament to the audio description team that we managed to get anything at all.

The acting is fine. The story is OK. But I can’t help but think there’s a better version of this story, if Longoria had approached it like she was directing a major theatrical release, and not just something for Disney Plus.

Final Grade: B