I don't mean to get all old man on you, but I had an epiphany while watching Unfrosted on Netflix. When I was growing up, there was an effort by the major television networks to offer family viewing with either popular movies that had been out of theaters for years or originals that were never going to see the light of day in a movie theater. I was always partial to The Wonderful World of Disney, with such classics as Fuzzbucket and the two Ewok Adventures. Unfortunately, this also included the horror inducing "family film," The Day After.
My commentary on the film itself will follow, but Unfrosted took me back to those days of fun movie making without the need to garner huge box office numbers. That's not to say this movie is appropriate for the whole family, as it is rated PG-13, but it was most definitely a fun watch for my family, whose youngest member is 15. Anywho, enough musings from an old nerd. Here are my thoughts.
Let's get this out of the way. There are A LOT of stars in this film. Some have blink and you miss it cameos while most are integral to the story. To save time, here is a list of my favorites:
Jerry Seinfeld, Christian Slater, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Mikey Day, Patrick Warburton, Amy Schumer, Max Greenfield, Cedric The Entertainer, Sebastian Maniscalco, Melissa McCarthy, Jack McBrayer, Adrian Martinez, Thomas Lennon, Bobby Moynihan, James Marsden, Tony Hale, Peter Dinklage, Bill Burr, George Wallace, Ronny Chieng, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Fred Armisen, Dan Levy, and Darrell Hammond.
Unfrosted is a delightful romp through the zany world of breakfast cereal creation, led by the comedic genius of Jerry Seinfeld. It's a war between Kellogg's and Post, with a comically underwhelmed showing from Quaker. While it may not be the most sophisticated comedy out there, it more than makes up for it with its sheer silliness and abundance of laugh-out-loud moments. On many levels, it reminded me of his Bee Movie, which is not remembered as a comedic classic, but it's still a fun watch.
Jerry Seinfeld shines both in front of and behind the camera, bringing his trademark wit and charm to the role of Bob Cabana, the incredibly successful inventor tasked with creating a new breakfast sensation to maintain Kellogg's dominance. His comedic timing is impeccable, delivering joke after joke with effortless ease.
The supporting cast is a who's who of comedic talent, with each actor bringing their own brand of humor to the table. From the unlikely pairing, and Cabana's former creative partner, of NASA nutritionist Melissa McCarthy to the hilariously villainous Amy Schumer, who is the matriarch of Post, every character adds to the absurdity and hilarity of the story. My personal favorite grouping was the dream team they enlist to create their newest product. This came in the form of inventor and promoter of soft ice cream Tom Carvel (Adrian Martinez), representing the iconic bicycle brand Steve Schwinn (Jack McBrayer), mail-order marketer and inventor of Sea-Monkeys and X-Ray specs, Harold von Braunhut (Thomas Lennon), founder of canned pasta products Chef Boy Ardee (Bobby Moynihan), and the "Godfather of Fitness" Jack Lalanne (James Marsden). The caricatures of these icons was what really drove a great deal of the story for me.
As the director, Seinfeld keeps the pace brisk and the jokes flying, never allowing the audience a moment to catch their breath. While the film may at times feel like an extended SNL sketch, it's a testament to Seinfeld's comedic vision that it never loses its momentum or charm. I also enjoyed laughable historical events that were re-imagined to accommodate the film's story. Specifically, we find ourselves smack dab in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis, but for the purposes of Unfrosted, it revolves of a sugar monopoly.
Although entertaining, I was disappointed that Unfrosted wasn't as funny as I wanted it to be, or as the trailer led me to believe. It had it's laughs for sure, but it was definitely more of a narrative tale versus a goofy irreverent comedy a la Airplane, Dumb & Dumber, or Out Cold. That being said, the humor was very present as the ending of the film recreates the January 6 insurrection in the form of mascots storming Kellogg's headquarters in hopes of stopping the federal approval of the pop tart. It was steeped in Seinfeld humor as Hugh Grant's Tony the Tiger is re-imagined as goofy rioter QAnon Shaman. Don't get me wrong. The events of January 6, 2021, are no joking matter. But in this retelling with mascots, I was highly entertained.
Unfrosted may not be for everyone, but for those willing to embrace its wacky premise and irreverent humor, it's a thoroughly enjoyable ride. So sit back, grab a bowl of cereal (with or without milk), and prepare to laugh until it hurts.
Check out our Trailer Trash Talk segment about Unfrosted:
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