Netflix’s latest Christmas romance is about a sexy snowman who comes to life, but is it worth a watch? (Picture: Netflix)
Hot Frosty is Netflix’s latest Christmas romance film that’s being praised by fans, but is it really worth watching?
In short. Yes. If that’s all you were looking for, please go forth and stream right now. If you think you need a little more convincing, buckle in.
In this rom-com, Mean Girls icon Lacey Chabert, 42, stars as a woman who falls in love with a snowman, played by Schitt’s Creek’s Dustin Milligan, 39 – and, yes, that is in fact the actual plot.
Before watching, I heard that the ‘sexy snowman’ film had a better Rotten Tomatoes score than Gladiator, and I just knew it was the film for me.
Netflix has a particular brand of rom-coms with unhinged plots that I’m just so into, and I’m clearly not alone as the weird and wonderful film has already soared to the top ten most-watched films in the UK right now.
It’s a surprisingly wholesome watch and the absurdity of the plot is manoeuvred by the characters acknowledging the absurdity, and then just rolling with the punches anyway.
In this festive treat, Chabert plays Kathy, the owner of a local cafe who has been struggling in the years after the death of her husband Paul.
After being given a lucky scarf that was ‘destined’ for her by her friends and encouraged to seek happiness, Lacey decides to give her scarf to a snowman after noticing the figure is the only one in a local snow sculpture competition without one.
Unbeknown to her, the scarf is in fact magic and the snowman wearing the scarf (who looks more like a Greek god than you’re average three scoops of snow) magically comes to life, and seeks out Kathy.
Milligan’s performance as a dopey doe-eyed freshly made human is earnest and goofy and balanced by Chabert’s performance as a sweet but sad grieving woman.
The two extremes play against each other perfectly and the sincerity of their performances is complimented by the comic relief in the supporting cast of familiar faces.
The local cops include US Office’s Craig Robinson who plays Sheriff Nathaniel Hunter and Brooklyn 99’s Joe Lo Truglio as Deputy Sheriff Ed Schatz. The duo play into the two extremes of the cop stereotypes with one as a laid-back goofball and the other as a highly-strung wannabe RoboCop – who also manages to be a goofball with a heart of gold.
Craig and Joe play the small-town cops in Hope Springs (Picture: Petr Maur/Netflix)
Katy Mixon Greer played Kathy’s friend Dottie (Picture: Petr Maur/Netflix)
Mike and Molly’s Katy Mixon also plays Dottie, the local town doctor who despite being a woman of science, encourages her pal to welcome the total stranger into her home. Why? Well, he’s hot so he probably is just a snowman that’s come to life rather than a con artist.
As Dottie herself explains: ‘Look everything about Christmas, Santa, elves, the flying reindeer, the scientist in me knows they shouldn’t exist, but wouldn’t the world be a little bit better if they did?’
This comment perfectly captures the essence of this film.
And once you suspend your belief and go with the magic, it’s a great ride.
The couple first meet at the annual snow sculpture competition (Picture: Netflix)
Without spoiling anything, there are some classic tropes and references that are simply perfect.
Pretty Woman is referenced with a shopping montage, and even a playful snapping of a lid on the snowman’s fingers as he reaches to look at some cufflinks.
For the millennials, there’s also a Mean Girls reference, paying homage to Lacey’s roots as Gretchen Weiners in the 2004 classic.
For some inexplicable reason, there’s an organised dance routine and the two grown adults in this attend their local town’s school dance because why not?
Oh and to top it all off, a blooper reel plays at the end, showing the cast had just as much fun making it as we did watching it.
Milligan plays a rather hot snowman (Picture: Netflix)
Chabert shines in this role (Picture: Petr Maur/Netflix)
Look the question really boils down to: are you a romantic? Are you the sort of person who has watched and loved every god-awful romantic comedy from the noughties and still gives every bizarre Christmas movie a go just in case it’s a hidden gem?
If you love love, go on, give it a go! But, if you’re a hateful Scrooge who wouldn’t understand the importance of a Pride and Prejudice (2005) DVD if it smacked you in the face, why are you even reading this article?
Hot Frosty is available to stream on Netflix now.
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