‘Freakier Friday’ has magical chemistry but it won’t swap places with the beloved original

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The movie “Freaky Friday” demonstrates that time functions as a mystical entity. Over the years, numerous fans of the body-swap series – starting from Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel and Jodie Foster’s 1976 Disney adaptation, up to the modern remake – have discovered through their personal experiences that eventually, everyone grows to resemble their parents, without needing any enchanted cookie fortunes.

In the well-loved 2003 remake, the characters swap places: Emo teenager Anna (played by Lindsay Lohan) wakes up as her uptight mother Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis), and vice versa, on the night before Tess’ wedding. Now, Anna finds herself as a strict single mom, struggling to get her rebellious high schooler, Harper (Julia Butters), to accept her own fiancé, Eric (Manny Jacinto), a kind British widower who also has his challenging daughter, Lily (Sophia Hammons) in the picture. Meanwhile, Tess enjoys being the cool grandmother, often teasing Anna by saying she’s “so lame.

Before the phrase “Look out for that psychic” (delivered humorously by Vanessa Bayer) can even be uttered, there’s a swap in appearances among the four women: Harper takes on Anna’s looks and Lily assumes Tess’s. You might recall Mark Twain saying, “History doesn’t exactly repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” Here, it feels like a reverberation as all the ladies panic and shout simultaneously.

The primary purpose of the initial film starring Lohan and Curtis was to allow their relatable characters to walk a mile in each other’s shoes – whether that meant navigating Anna’s band rehearsals or Tess’ dental appointments. By the end, they both realized the importance of respecting each other’s priorities. In Nisha Ganatra’s follow-up, the aim is to invite back those who adore these characters, offering another chance to spend time with them. (Rest assured, everyone – yes, everyone – returns.) However, there isn’t a great deal of emotional depth uncovered as Lily takes on the role of her potential step-grandmother, someone she barely knows. Instead, we get humor and antics.

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As a devoted fan, I’d rephrase that description as follows:

In the story, two teenagers, who can’t stand each other, seize their grown-up chance to drive a wedge between their parents, much like a reversed version of Lindsay Lohan’s earlier remake, “The Parent Trap.” They even manage to throw in some witty Gen Z jabs, with Lily mocking Facebook as “a hangout for the elderly.” Anna and Tess, who’ve been through similar situations before, seem more interested in cruising around on scooters and devouring burgers than causing any real trouble. The movie’s vibe is largely shaped by Eleanor Infante, who masterfully uses montages to convey a lively atmosphere – think fashion shoots, photo booth antics, and wild feeding sprees that could easily pass for an upbeat Instagram album.

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that the central mother-daughter relationship in “Freaky Friday” feels rushed and underdeveloped, leaving little impact on my emotions towards both characters. Anna, the hardworking manager of a demanding pop sensation named Ella, seems like your typical sincere parent, while Harper appears to enjoy surfing. However, it’s challenging to discern their individual personalities due to the brisk pace of the film.

The talented actress Lindsay Lohan delivers a solid performance in her comeback role, exuding an air of confidence and likeability that keeps you engaged. Unfortunately, the promising young actress, Butters, doesn’t receive the same level of screen time to showcase her exceptional talent beyond two scenes where she gets emotional (yelling and crying). It’s a pity that such a captivating performance isn’t given more opportunities to shine.

Tess and Lily are simpler to understand, but Tess, the therapist, has such strong convictions about her thoughts being significant that she often interrupts others’ conversations. On the other hand, Lily is arrogant and petty, and while she tries to project an English image, it seems her character was largely influenced by a British cooking show like “The Great British Bake Off.” This is suggested through a scene where her baked goods are criticized for having a soggy bottom at a bake sale, leading to an over-the-top food fight.

The script written by Jordan Weiss seems almost irrelevant to the movie’s appeal, as if the roles of Harper and Lily could have been interchanged or nonexchanged, and the film would still be enjoyable. Essentially, audiences are drawn to the comical bond between Curtis and Lohan, which steals the show so much that it’s challenging to remember the main premise. My mind often failed to grasp that I was watching Lindsay Lohan portray Harper as Anna. Instead, I found myself delighted to see her perform a few songs with a guitar. Cute moments ensued when the songs written by Anna for her high school band, Pink Slip, became minor hits and were later performed by the reunited band at the Wiltern Theater, with the crowd singing along to their lyrics.

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Tess’ dialogue often repeats Lily’s concerns about aging, such as wrinkles, dentures, and unsanitary suit jackets. She even exclaims, “I’m rotting away!” with dramatic flair. While some of these jokes might be harsh, Curtis delivers them with enthusiasm, making us laugh despite themselves. For instance, she insists on having a ring light and lip plumper for her passport photo. The costume designer, Natalie O’Brien, even accentuates Curtis’ stunning figure in the process.

Curtis seems to be enjoying portraying her fashion-forward character so much that I would have been satisfied with just swapping Tess and Lily roles, while Anna and Harper step in to handle their antics, before the men in their lives, who are remarkably patient, find out about it.

The movie is packed with events, yet seems devoid of crucial developments. An initially insignificant moment, Tess taking her granddaughter to school and getting stuck in traffic at a four-way intersection, surprisingly becomes the dominant visual motif. None of the characters appear to have control over the plot’s direction. At the wedding rehearsal dinner, when the women gather again, the arrangement of the restaurant scene is just as confounding, leaving viewers guessing if anyone will assert leadership.

Ganatra enjoys fitting numerous characters into the movie, particularly comediennes, and tends to pack the screen with them during the runtime. Notable appearances include Chloe Fineman as a dance instructor, X Mayo as a school principal, June Diane Raphael as a fierce pickleball player, and Santina Muha as a heartbroken immigration officer. Bayer delivers an impressive performance as Madame Jen, a character who adds physical complexity to the film, portraying a flamboyant artist who also works as a barista on the side.

The movie maintains a PG rating, carefully avoiding explicit content. A quick shot suggests the underage girls are drinking grape juice instead of wine. Jake (Chad Michael Murray), Anna’s ex-boyfriend from high school, unintentionally becomes involved in the plot. It’s likely that an earlier draft featured him as Harper’s father, but this was changed to avoid awkwardness since Harper flirts with him while wearing her mother’s disguise, hoping he’ll interfere with the wedding.

In me, the old grump wished I could have laughed more heartily. “Freaky Friday” might not replace the original in people’s hearts, but it’s still a fun, disposable movie. Fans who grew up with Lohan can now take their kids to the cinema and share memories about the series – reminiscing about their youth – and make a promise, “Let’s ensure we never end up like that.”

The main idea is preserved, but the paraphrased version aims to be more accessible and engaging for readers.

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2025-08-07 23:31