The first thought that crossed my mind while watching Frozen Hot Boys was why would such an ordinary film need two directors? That being said, the overall premise isn’t half bad: a bunch of teenage misfits sent to a juvenile home have a shot at redemption, a chance to turn their lives around by taking part in an international competition. But the execution and humour of this Thai comedy-drama are so very bad that it relegates the attempted feel-good theme to the back burner. A correctional facility for troubled youth is indeed a serious place, and the kids in this story have difficult backstories, as you can imagine. Murder, arson, robbery, they are guilty of a variety of crimes. The one common theme running through their lives is parental neglect or abuse. There are brief moments in between all the terrible jokes that the film ought to have capitalised on. In a section that focuses on the boys discussing their troubled childhoods and all that they have had to endure to get to this point, you understand why they are the way they are. The lead character, Miss Chom (Natapohn Tameeruks), is supposed to be the mentor these social rejects never knew they needed. In charge of teaching and guiding the boys at the Benjatham Juvenile Home, she is a time-server who has a penchant for forgettable wisecracks. To make matters worse, her mother is the warden, a woman she fails to see eye to eye with. Much like the boys, she isn’t serious about anything in life.

Director – Nareubadee Wetchakam, Tanakit Kittiapithan  

Cast – Natapohn Tameeruks, Nuttawat Thanataviepraserth, Chatchai Chinnasri, Sadanont Durongkavarojana, Piyaphong Dammunee, Punnanon Treewannakul

Streaming On - Netflix

When Chom’s estranged father invites her to visit Sapporo, where he now lives with his new family, the former gets excited. She happens to read about an international snow sculpting competition for teenagers taking place in the city, later in the year. When one of the new boys, Jab (Nuttawat Thanataviepraserth), creates a beautiful bird in her wood-working class, Chom’s dreams of entering the Japanese snow festival take shape. But here lies the catch. Just because she has the purpose to do something, doesn’t mean her wards will be on the same page. Motivating them is far from easy. The mysterious Jab has been kicked out of his last four juvenile correctional facilities, having purportedly set fire to the last home. An older recruit in Joe (Sadanont Durongkavarojana) is part of a tattooed gang at Benjatham, and has it out for Jab. Chom recognises his designing skill (with all his tattoo art), and wishes for him to be part of the team. Joe is in the facility for murder, and his violent ways set off Jab’s own disruptive instincts. Others considered for the team are Toomtan (Piyaphong Dammunee) and Win (Punnanon Treewannakul). The former is accused of robbing a general store and the latter has issues stemming from a dysfunctional home. Once the violence dies down, and Chom bands them together, she presents their case to the board. Funding is key for the boys to train; ice, implements such as chisels and saws, practising on a snow-like substance, etc. Despite the general consensus that the kids will be a disappointment, the board supports her vision, providing the venture financial support.

If it weren’t for the pathetic excuse for humour, Frozen Hot Boys (as dreadful as that title truly is) would have done okay in the feel-good category. When the film gets real, the story of redemption and second chances works. It is the poorly thought-out gags, whether that’s Miss Chom trying to be funny (or cool) or the puerile jokes among the supposedly violent/disruptive juvenile delinquents, that don’t. Making fun of Toomtan’s build and appetite, for instance, cannot be a go-to for humour. There are a couple of good, nuanced drama scenes that fit well with the overarching theme of hope. Before they enter the local competition (for a chance to secure the scholarship to travel to Sapporo), Chom sits amongst the boys who discuss their respective criminal records. This honest sequence, with their teacher well and truly behind them, is a highpoint of Frozen Hot Boys. When Joe is confronted at the airport by the mother of his victim, it hits a chord. For once, the guard drops, and he exhibits genuine remorse for his actions. If the film had just stuck to Chom’s challenging journey of banding the teenage misfits together, and believing in them, against all odds, it would have made for better engagement. The desperate attempt to make one crack up at the sheer stupidity around the drama is what sinks it, diluting its central message of hope and forgiveness.