HOT FROSTY

(director: Jerry Ciccoritti; screenwriter: Russell Hainline; cinematographer: Eric Cayla; editor: Julia Blua; music: Ari Posner; cast:  Lacey Chabert (Kathy Barrett),  Dustin Milligan (Jack Snowman), Craig Robinson (Sheriff Nathaniel Hunter), Joe Lo Truglio (Deputy Sheriff Ed Schatz), Katy Mixon Greer (Dr. Dottie), Lauren Holly (Jane Miller); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Joel S. Rice, Michael Barbuto; Netflix; 2024)

“Pointless film.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Jerry Ciccoritti (“Angel Falls Christmas”/”Two For The Win”) directs this fluff piece, a wholesome and sweet but dumb rom/com holiday-themed escapist pic for the Hallmark crowd. It’s coyly written by Russell Hainline as a supposed vehicle for cheer for the holiday season.

The cafe owner widow Kathy (Lacey Chabert, the Hallmark star) dearly misses her late cancer victim husband. At the vintage store, the clerk Jane Miller (Lauren Holly) tells her she once accidentally found her dream man by putting this scarf on a snowman. This brought him to life as a human before he melted. If you believe that, I got some swamp land to sell you in Florida.

In the New England town of Hope Springs, the lonely Kathy places the magical scarf on a snowman at a sculpture festival and she names him Jack (Dustin Milligan). Before you can even blurt out ‘bullshit’ the shirtless snowman, with the great abs, comes alive and tells her he loves her. So they get to know each other and start dating, as she schools him on how to be her ideal man.

There’s a good cop/bad cop subplot, where the town sheriff (Craig Robinson) tries arresting the fun-loving streaker snowman, while his deputy (Joe Lo Truglio) tromical cies stopping him. Their comical efforts are merely more awkward moments in this pointless film.

REVIEWED ON 12/3/2024  GRADE: C-
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