Movie Review: Netflix's Hot Frosty

The Lifetime and Hallmark channels used to dominate the low-budget Christmas movie industry, producing several saccharine stories every holiday season. That is, until 2017 of course, when Netflix released the smash hit A Christmas Prince and finally broke into that syrupy sweet market. Now, from early November onwards, Netflix churns out cheesy holiday movies and specials, averaging about a dozen a year since the A Christmas Prince sequel in 2018. Eat your heart out, Hallmark. 

Netflix’s most recent success, Hot Frosty, is a level above the rest (or below depending on who you ask). Holding the number-one spot in the Netflix top ten ranking in November, Hot Frosty gained sixteen million views in one week and attracted a lot of attention on social media platforms TikTok and X, with users reacting to the film’s bizarre plot. 

Starring Mean Girls actress Lacey Chabert and Dustin Milligan of Schitt’s Creek, Hot Frosty is a G-rated Christmas film that tells the story of a young widow, Kathy, and the night that changes her life forever. Walking through the park around Christmas time, Kathy finds a surprisingly muscular snowman built for the town contest and wraps a scarf around him. He comes to life a la Frosty the Snowman and tracks her down the next morning. The plot revolves around their time spent together as Jack (the snowman) adjusts to life as a human and tries to evade capture by the overzealous town sheriff of Hope Springs. 

Sweet story aside, the film had several scenes that required viewers to suspend their disbelief.  It also had a dynamic between the love interests that many found extremely uncomfortable, as Jack spends his first days as a human acting like a giant, buff toddler, relying on Kathy to teach him what “clothes” and “food” and “love” means. The highlight of the movie was the dynamic between the Sheriff and Deputy sheriff, played by The Office’s Craig Robinson and Brooklynn-nine-nine Actor Joe Lo Truglio, respectively. Their scenes were entertaining, but not quite enough to save Hot Frosty.  

One senior thought the film seemed “low budget” because Jack’s heartbreaking ‘melting’ scene just looked like a really sweaty guy on the floor. Another commented “I can't believe you made me watch that. I'm never coming over again.” Considering my mother, father, and little dog all ‘settled down to a long winter's nap,” I would not recommend Hot Frosty for your next family movie night. 

So, is it a cult Christmas classic? Absolutely not. But it's a good time if you don't mind spending 92 minutes cringing with your loved ones. Don't take it too seriously, and it is actually okay.