A woman grieving her dead husband searching for a shred of self-respect. A man on the run from the police, craving a sense of companionship from anyone who looks his way. An ambitious cop trying to restore justice to his small town. Why does this Christmas rom-com seem like it could be the plot of Ethel Cain’s next album?
Turning on Jerry Ciccoritti’s “Hot Frosty” was initially like entering a Christmas-ified rendition of “Gilmore Girls,” but as the film progressed, its dark underbelly began to peek through. The film begins with widowed cafe owner Kathy Barrett (Lacey Chabert) living alone in a house ridden with leaks and a hole in her staircase. One night, during a snow sculpture contest in the town square, Kathy places her red scarf on a block of snow that has been expertly carved into a naked man with abs that rival Michelangelo’s “David.”
Surprise! The snow comes to life. The snowman-turned-actual-man, Jack Snowman (Dustin Milligan), is now wanted by the town sheriff (Craig Robinson) for streaking — yes, you read that correctly — through the streets with nothing on but his trusty red scarf. Jack must now attempt to evade arrest while also adjusting to his human life and helping the town with their many Christmas activities.
On the surface, this film is just an hour and a half of slightly misguided, cheery holiday fun, but under Frosty’s corncob pipe and button nose lie darker themes. The film showcases the seedy truth of constant surveillance, themes of grief and death and begs the question of what an appropriate relationship between adults and children looks like.
The hypervigilant nature of the town creates a constricting environment for both Jack and Kathy. Although Robinson gives an amusing performance, why is it that one man — the sheriff of the town — can decide Jack’s fate? Despite the public’s implied understanding that the sheriff takes his role too seriously and is obsessed with meddling, there’s no pushback from the civilians or move toward balancing out the power dynamic. Amid the sheriff’s invasive, unrelenting search for Jack, Kathy grows afraid for her reputation. While she’s grilled in interrogations about his presence and alleged crimes, Kathy’s unable to express her sadness over her husband’s death and process her feelings for Jack — afraid she’ll be seen as crazy.
Chabert gives an endearing performance, although nothing groundbreaking — but what could be with a film like this? Milligan’s performance is uncomfortably child-like as he toggles between acting as a peer to middle school children during their winter dance and then pursuing Kathy romantically. With Jack’s position as the town’s frozen hottie and object of attraction, why does he act so peculiarly childish at times? Will Ferrell’s Buddy in the Christmas classic “Elf” (2003) is an example of innocence and wonder with the human world done well, where the line is expertly towed between charming and strange. Milligan seems to only nail the strange as he bonds with a group of middle schoolers without any adults batting an eye.
However, when Milligan is not weirdly creepy, he’s hilariously unaware, delivering humorous moments of physical comedy. After networking with horny grandmas, Jack gets a job as a maintenance worker for the local middle school’s winter dance, where he breaks out into a flash mob in the middle of the dance floor along with 12-year-olds. The commitment to this absurd role makes it clear that the film is clued into its ironic ridiculousness.
“Hot Frosty” is everything it said it was — a classically forgettable jolly flick that you can watch with friends as you sit by the fire. While at times you may be laughing at it, not with it, the film is delightfully oblivious to the anxiety that plagues the rest of us during the holiday season. But perhaps a hot snowman is exactly what we all need during this time.
Contact Ellie Miller at [email protected].