Hot Frosty may not break any barriers in filmmaking, but this sweet, sexy rom-com is sure to melt even the most frozen heart.
Director: Jerry Ciccoritti
Genre: Rom-Com, Holiday
Run Time: 90′
Release Date: November 13, 2024
Where to Watch: Netflix
It is Christmas rom-com season, and Netflix is kicking it off with Hot Frosty, a new entry into their Christmas Cinematic Universe. In this movie, director Jerry Ciccoritti and writer Russell Hainline seek to answer the question no one was asking: “What if Frosty the Snowman came to life, but this time he had a six-pack?”
Kathy Barrett (Lacey Chabert, Mean Girls) is facing another holiday season alone after the loss of her husband to cancer two years before. When she delivers a meal to local shop owners Mel (Sherry Miller, Queer as Folk) and Theo (Dan Lett, The Shape of Water), Mel tells her, “You’ll never find warmth if you don’t venture out into the cold.” She gives her a red scarf and sends her on her way.
As Kathy is strolling through all of the snow sculptures, she happens across a handsome man made out of snow. She adorns him with her red scarf and snaps a photo of him. Moments later, Jack (Dustin Milligan, Schitt’s Creek) comes to life, streaking through the town and then crashing into Mel and Theo’s store to find some clothes before locating Kathy.
The antics that follow are silly and sweet, with just a little bit of sexy thrown in for good measure. Jack spends his days watching television shows about cooking and home repair and takes that knowledge around the town of Hope Springs, trying to make life a little better for each of its residents. His naiveté is perfectly contrasted with his Adonis-like figure, creating some genuine laughs over the course of this tight 92-minute film. Whether it’s Jack helping out the titillated group of older women or Kathy biting the head off of a snowman cookie in front of him, this film will unquestioningly evoke a smile.
Of course, no Christmas rom-com is complete without some kind of villain, and Hot Frosty is no different. Joe Lo Truglio (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine) as the local law enforcement are the perfect foils to his charming affectation. Whether Robinson is choosing a pair of aviator sunglasses from the carousel on his desk or Lo Trulio is teaching Jack how to dance, they bring an additional layer of charm to an already charming movie.
Much of what makes this film work is how committed each actor is to their roles. Lo Trulio and Robinson commit entirely to the bit and create some of the funniest moments of the movie. Barrett finds a lovely balance of sadness and hopefulness in her role, and if any of the emotional moments land, it is due to her performance. And Milligan brings a joyful, puppy-dog energy to Jack that is completely infectious.
Ciccoritti and Hainline do an excellent job of making a self-aware film that doesn’t harp on just how self-aware it is. There can be a tendency in movies with a slight satirical edge to constantly offer a wink and a nudge to the audience, but Hot Frosty manages to avoid that for the most part, simply allowing the absurdity of the moments to play out organically. The new stranger in town is a snowman come to life? Sure thing. Jack needs to eat ice so that he doesn’t melt? No problem. The matter-of-fact way that plot points are addressed is refreshing.
This isn’t to say that Hot Frosty is a magnificent piece of cinema. The romance between Kathy and Jack feels a little forced. The way that the script glosses over the pain of losing a spouse is almost a little too blithe. Despite the claims of the opening narration, this is very much like other Christmas rom-coms that you’ve seen over the years.
But even if Hot Frosty doesn’t break any barriers of filmmaking, it is absolutely among the top tier of the holiday feel-good movie list. It has heart, pathos, humor, and just enough of a shirtless Dustin Milligan to melt any cold hearts.
Hot Frosty is now available to watch on Netflix.
