Iliza Shlesinger: Freezing Hot (2015)

Number Rolled: 3

Movie Name/Year: Iliza Shlesinger: Freezing Hot (2015)

Tagline: None

Genre: Documentary, Comedy, Stand-Up

Length: 71 minutes

Rating: TV-MA

Production Companies: New Wave Entertainment Television

Producer: Deborah Adamson, Kara Baker, Kieran Dotti, Rob Guillermo, Chico Henson, Cisco Henson, Kimberly Leen, Lisa Nishimura, Ryan Polito, Iliza Shlesinger, Jack Vaughn, Brian Volk-Weiss, Kristen Zolner

Director: Iliza Shlesinger

Writer: Iliza Shlesinger

Actors: Iliza Shlesinger

Stunt Doubles: N/A

Blurb from Netflix: Smart and brazen comedian Iliza Shlesinger applies her fresh, laugh-out-loud, perspective to the universal struggles between men and women.

Selina’s Point of View:

There are two extreme temperatures in the title, but I found this stand-up routine relatively lukewarm.

Yeah, I know, that sounded ultra-pretentious… but it came to me and I couldn’t help myself. I’ll return you to our originally scheduled programming now.

In general, I tend to enjoy Iliza Shlesinger (Last Comic Standing, Forever 31, Truth & Iliza). This special, however, really didn’t resonate with me. I didn’t identify with the majority of the jokes.

Stand-up comedy is something I’ve always enjoyed. It’s simple. It takes your mind off whatever’s going on in your life. And, even if it touches on the heavy social and political stuff, a comedian can still make you laugh even if it otherwise makes you cringe.

In fact, although I tend to steer conversations with family and friends away from politics, I prefer political comedians. It’s because my emotions on certain issues can run to the extreme, and that is easier to deal with if I’m laughing.

Shlesinger is more of a ‘battle of the sexes’ kind of comedian. She pits men against women in her jokes and makes fun of the differences. That’s a problem for me. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that kind of comedy… but I rarely ever relate to the female side of those jokes, so I wind up just kind of staring at the screen and blinking.

One of her bits, for instance, went on about how female friends won’t admit their hungry and when someone finally does they recommend the group eat something small and expensive. I don’t relate to that. Me and my friends never have money and we’re always up for food. Not one of my friends – male or female – has ever, or would ever, suggest that ten of us share a single flatbread.

So, a lot of her comedy didn’t really apply to me.

I don’t think the special was bad… I just think it was geared toward a demographic that doesn’t include me.

Cat’s Point of View:

We’re approaching a week since the concern about Hurricane Harvey really sank in, and the realization of the impact for those in its path. The sheer volume of rain that has fallen from this snail-paced storm has exceeded meteorologist models – they had to add new colors to their charts to represent the expanded range of rain that has fallen in some areas – not the accumulations of the flooding. Just the rain.

My heart is aching for everyone affected by this storm. Texas is handing off the baton to Louisiana, which is in Harvey’s crosshairs now.

I can’t help but mention all this because in my lucid hours, it’s practically all I can think about. Nyquil has given me some blessed relief from my thoughts here and there, but there’s a heaviness that remains over everything still until we get to the other side of all this and begin to pick up the pieces.

It's important to find hope and levity so the gravity of the situation doesn’t just drown you. That’s why I was immensely grateful that the dice gave us this stand-up comedy special. 

Why not a regular movie? That’s easy – I’m too easily distracted right now for that. Mostly it’s just being fuzzy-headed and prone to dozing from being sick. The stand-up show was a good fit because chances were high it would keep me invested and I wouldn’t have to fight to keep up, etc.

I liked Iliza Shlesinger’s (Paradise, To Tell the Truth, Girlboss) second self-titled comedy show. It’s a refreshing change of pace for comedy presented from a woman’s perspective. There have been some women who are among the comedy greats, but all too often we see the guys get a lot more of the spotlight.

I don’t know that her brand of comedy will be for everyone. At some points, she gave me the vibe that she might have been one of those ‘mean girls’ in school – but then again, her on-point satirical wit could have been born from finding herself on the wrong side of such shenanigans. I am not familiar enough with her background to say. She certainly is adept at fostering that ‘women are crazy’ trope, regardless.

I think some of her physical comedy was hilarious and enjoyed her quirky voices. All-told, the laughter was much needed and welcomed. I’d be interested in seeing more of her work, considering I was rather unfamiliar with her prior to watching this.

Languages

Speech Available: English

Subtitles Available: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Spanish

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 64%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score – None

IMDB Score – 6.9/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2.5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

P.S.  There’s a little bit after the curtain call.

Movie Trailer: