Hot Frosty (2024)
The selling point with these movies is largely the absurdity of the premise, coupled with a relatively grounded approach. These are self-aware but for the most part not cynical or sarcastic, a point driven home by Russell Hainline, the writer of Hot Frosty, in an interview with Hollywood Reporter. That's not to say this isn't a comedy - in some ways it leans into that aspect of its subgenre more than usual - but the joke is never that its premise is idiot or ridiculous.
That's probably the right approach, since the majority of people choosing to watch a movie called, "Hot Frosty" are there to experience the premise, not mock it. Judging by the excitement I saw online when this was announced, I suspect people would have been even happier with a version of this where the filmmakers weren't self-aware of the premise, but the era where genre fare that outlandish could be created by accident is likely past. This does mean there's a bit of a disconnect between the film's sincerity and its use of comedic character actors such as Craig Robinson and Joe Lo Truglio.
Not that I'm complaining, mind you - I though they made a fun pair in a nod to their time on Brooklyn 99, and I generally prefer when these embrace comedy over melodrama. But this is definitely a case where you can feel the movie struggling to figure out where it wants to land on the tonal spectrum between Elf and a Hallmark movie. It's trying to create the feeling you're watching something truly bizarre, but the fact the filmmakers are clearly aware of what they're doing means it's always going to come off a little forced.
At the same time, there's a lot here that's not just better than it has to be, but is actually good. There's a visual gag in the opening minutes involving some Christmas decorations that made me applaud the screen, and the shopping sequence was brilliantly inspired (though I'm skeptical anyone under the age of 35 is going to get the reference). I also liked numerous small decisions, such as the surprise reveal that virtually all the side characters were more than willing to accept the reveal at face value. It's genuinely refreshing to see a movie doctor faced with compelling evidence something impossible is happening accept the impossible explanation for a change.
Likewise, the main characters' arcs were better than you'd typically expect from a holiday movie of this type. Kathy is struggling with the loss of her husband to cancer while Jack is facing his own mortality: these are more compelling obstacles than you generally get from Hallmark knock-offs.
I'm less sold on the movie's use of the "born sexy yesterday" trope without confronting or even acknowledging the implications. Jack is canonically only a few weeks old in the movie, and while he was created with a complete vocabulary and at least a limited frame of reference, the movie constantly reminds us he's mentally a child, more directly when he helps at a middle school dance and identifies more with the students than adults. But, as the title highlights, the character is constantly sexualized by female characters (though notably not by Kathy).
I'm not sure this is a problem in and of itself. The issues around the trope are largely tied to real-world gender politics which are less a concern when the character in question is male. Still, I found it distracting that the movie was mining the situation for comedy without ever really addressing the disturbing reality of having a child ogled by older characters (though it's never taken any further - this is on the G side of PG).
That ties to another aspect I found interesting. I was actually a little surprised to learn that the title, Hot Frosty, was part of Hainline's original pitch and something he considered important. It didn't really fit the movie, in my opinion. "Hot Frosty" implies more raunchy subject matter than the film delivers. Aside from one suggestive sequence in which a woman... let's go with "overreacts" to Jack helping her get her car out of a snowbank, there's no real implication of actual sexuality beyond a general fascination with Jack's body.
To be clear, this is in no way a problem in my book. Movie titles are marketing implements, rather than significant pieces of a film. However if you're hoping for or expecting an R-rated version of this premise, you should probably adjust your expectations for what's essentially a family movie.
And as such, this is fine, maybe even bordering on good. The production values are solid, the performances work well with the material, and some of the jokes land well. This feels like a lot like a spiritual sequel to The Knight Before Christmas, another Netflix Christmas romantic fantasy where a man out of his element helps the protagonist overcome cynicism and embrace romance. Hot Frosty is unquestionably a smarter movie, for what that's worth.
Whether or not that's enough depends on what you're looking for. Judging by the online reaction, this seems to be what a lot of people wanted, and it's not hard to understand why. This is pure, unapologetic escapism that leans into its inherent silliness without abandoning its sincere approach to its love story. If that's what you're looking for, you won't be disappointed. Though, frankly, if so you likely don't need my recommendation, as you've almost certainly already seen it.
If you're looking for something that transcends any of that... well... this isn't the movie for you. Aside from a handful of moments, this is rarely as funny as a good sitcom, and the drama - while being built on a solid foundation - is still of the TV movie variety. This is a movie with a "so-bad-it's-good" premise that refuses to actually be bad. I won't say that was a mistake - it comes close enough to being good to justify the attempt - but I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's not a fan of silly, disposable Christmas movies. As a weird addition to the growing list of Christmas paranormal romantic comedies, I'm glad this exists, but I was rarely more than mildly amused while watching (though, again, I thought the shopping sequence gag was delightful).
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