'Freakier Friday' Review: A Family Comedy of Hits and Misses

Two decades after the beloved 2003 hit, Disney brings us back into the chaotic world of magical body swaps with Freakier Friday, and honestly? It’s exactly the kind of nostalgic comfort food families have been craving. While it stumbles out of the gate with some clunky dialogue, this sequel finds its groove once the supernatural shenanigans kick in, delivering genuine laughs and heartwarming moments that remind us why we fell in love with this franchise in the first place.

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Plot: Double the Body Swaps, Double the Fun

Fast-forward to 2025, and Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) has evolved from rebellious teen to busy music producer and single mom. She’s raising tomboyish teenager Harper (Julia Butters from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) alongside her therapist-turned-podcaster mom Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis), who’s absolutely crushing her grandma era. The family dynamic gets shaken up when Harper clashes with snooty British exchange student Lily (Sophia Hammons), leading to a fateful parent-teacher conference where Anna meets Lily’s charming single dad Eric (Manny Jacinto sporting a questionable British accent).

True to Disney form, Anna and Eric’s whirlwind romance moves at lightning speed – we’re talking marriage within six months, much to the horror of Harper and Lily who are NOT here for becoming stepsisters. Enter a quirky fortune teller (scene-stealing Vanessa Bayer) whose mystical intervention triggers another body-swapping catastrophe, this time involving all four women. The result? A delightfully chaotic comedy of errors as the soon-to-be stepsisters scheme to sabotage the wedding from their swapped bodies.

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Jamie Lee Curtis: The Comedy Queen Who Carries the Movie

Let’s be real – Jamie Lee Curtis is the absolute MVP of Freakier Friday. No one brings more energy, timing, or sheer comedic fearlessness to the screen. Her portrayal of Tess as a podcasting grandma navigating teenage angst in a young body is pure gold. Curtis throws herself into every ridiculous situation with the kind of uninhibited performance that makes you remember why she’s a Hollywood legend. Whether she’s dealing with high metabolism jokes or nailing generational humor about social media platforms, Curtis embodies the story’s wacky spirit with perfect comedic timing.

The chemistry between Curtis and Lindsay Lohan remains as timeless as ever, proving that some on-screen partnerships are simply magical. Their dynamic anchors the film even when the plot gets a bit scattered.

Lindsay Lohan’s Welcome Return to Hollywood

Speaking of Lindsay Lohan – this comeback feels like a genuine celebration. Watching her exercise her comedic chops, showcase emotional range, and even sing again is genuinely moving. There are moments (particularly a standout “seducing Jake” scene) where Lohan displays the grace and fearlessness that made us fall in love with her in the first place. It’s the kind of performance that makes you think, “She still absolutely has it.”

The film cleverly acknowledges Lohan’s journey with nostalgic touches like Elaine Hendrix’s cameo and setting the wedding on October 3rd (Mean Girls fans will get it). This feels less like a cash grab and more like Hollywood saying, “We missed you, and we’re sorry.” Hopefully, this opens doors for Lohan to star in more substantial, original projects that match her evolved talents.

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Supporting Cast Shines in Smaller Roles

Julia Butters delivers an impressive performance, perfectly capturing Lindsay Lohan’s mannerisms and Anna-isms in every scene. Her portrayal of Harper brings authenticity to the teenage perspective without falling into typical Disney Channel territory. Sophia Hammons holds her own as Lily, showing solid range both pre and post-body swap.

The supporting cast adds delightful flavor throughout. Vanessa Bayer’s quirky medium steals every scene she’s in, while X Mayo brings dry humor as the exasperated school principal. Even Chad Michael Murray embraces the running gag about Anna’s high school ex being weirdly into Tess – it’s the kind of self-aware humor that actually works.

A Mixed Bag of Nostalgia and Modern Sensibilities

Freakier Friday succeeds brilliantly at capturing the 2003 spirit while updating outdated elements for 2025 audiences. Screenwriter Jordan Weiss (Dollface, Sweethearts) maintains the original’s edge while making it more progressive. The humor has a refreshing female gaze, and there are surprisingly mature jokes that’ll make parents wonder, “Wait, this is Disney in 2025?!”

The film brings back forgotten elements like blooper reels during credits and maintains an edginess that many sanitized family films lack today. Director Nisha Ganatra and Weiss clearly understand their dual audience – kids and nostalgic adults – and successfully appeal to both.

Where It Falls Short

The biggest issue? Freakier Friday often forgets about its main characters. Once the body swap occurs, Anna and Tess’s character development gets sidelined in favor of the teenage storyline. The film establishes compelling conflicts – like Anna considering a move to London and Tess’s secret offer to stay with Harper – but these emotional threads get lost in the comedy shuffle.

The first act relies too heavily on contemporary buzzwords and feels painfully formulaic. The digital cinematography also gives it more of a Disney+ movie feel than theatrical release quality. Most disappointingly, the mother-daughter relationship that anchored the original gets reduced to metabolism jokes and joint pain gags.

Technical Elements: Solid but Unremarkable

While the film captures the original’s charm, it doesn’t quite achieve the same cinematic polish. Shot on the Arri Alexa 35, it has that slightly digital look that makes it feel more like streaming content than a theatrical experience. The direction is competent without being particularly inspired, though Ganatra does manage to keep the increasingly complex body-swap scenarios clear and engaging.

Final Verdict: Comfort Food Cinema That Delivers

Freakier Friday isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, and that’s perfectly fine. This is formula-driven family entertainment that knows exactly what it is and delivers on those expectations. While it neglects some character development opportunities, it successfully captures the original’s lighthearted charm and gives both Curtis and Lohan space to remind us why we loved them in the first place.

The film works best when it embraces its own silliness and lets its stellar cast play. Curtis’s uninhibited performance alone makes this worth watching, and Lohan’s return feels genuinely triumphant rather than desperate. Sure, it’s not groundbreaking cinema, but sometimes you just want to watch talented performers have fun with a concept that brought joy twenty years ago.

For families looking for genuinely entertaining content that bridges generational gaps, Freakier Friday hits the sweet spot. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you why body-swap comedies became a beloved subgenre in the first place – when done with heart, humor, and the right cast, these stories about walking in someone else’s shoes (or body) can be surprisingly touching.

Bottom Line: A delightful return to form that prioritizes fun over profundity. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor, Freakier Friday serves up enough laughs, heart, and nostalgic charm to satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers to the franchise.