Movie Review: Mr. Frost (1990)

"Mr. Frost" is probably one of the most underated (and hard to find) films I've ever seen, but I may be influenced in my review of it because of my love for the leading man - Jeff Goldblum. An underated film and an underated actor, Jeff Goldblum shines, intrigues, and mesmerizes as the mysterious Mr. Frost - a man (or is he even human?) recieving psychiatric care after brutally murdering 24 people. As the tagline goes, "He hasn't spoken a word in two years. No one knows his identity. Officially he doesn't exist... But 24 corpses do."

Two years after the bodies are discovered, Mr. Frost is moved to an institution "somewhere in Europe." He has not uttered a single syllable in this time, but all that is about to change when he meets Dr. Sarah Day (played very nicely by Kathy Baker). She is the only one that he will speak to.

Detective Felix Detweiler (played by a sort of cardboard Alan Bates), who had him arrested, believes Mr. Frost to be the devil himself. And while we are skeptical along with Dr. Day, Mr. Frost's mysterious and evil power over others slowly convinces us of the truth.

I do not want to give too much of this film away, but there are a few side stories wrapped around the main one - Mr. Frost wants Dr. Day to kill him to prove that he is stronger than science and "stronger than passing time" and ultimately, that he can even convince unbelievers of his power.

The movie is nicely paced and toys with your mind. There are thrills and suspense and while the film is rated R (I assume for violence) I'm not sure why it got such a harsh rating.

The spiritual battles going on in the film are very thought-provoking and I felt one scene, where Dr. Day is speaking with Detective Felix Detweiler was particularly powerful. She tells him that she is not afraid of him and Felix responds with, "That's why he chose you."

Again, Jeff Goldblum is spectacular in the film and actually won Best Actor Award at the 1990 Catalonian International Film Festival for this role.

If you can find it, watch this film! It will stay with you.