About the film (courtesy of Disney):
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. The story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.
An incredible love letter to the original film, Freakier Friday delivers on exactly what it sets out to do. It is a funny, heartfelt, and wacky comedy that will also make you cringe harder than watching your parents try to dance. The cast takes what otherwise could have been just another run-of-the-mill money grab of a sequel and turns it into something that almost everyone of all ages can relate to—something that is certainly appreciated nowadays.
Led by the original cast members Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, both reclaim and switch their parts from the first movie. This time, Lindsay’s character, Ana, is a single mom trying to take care of her rebellious daughter, Harper, while also trying to develop a relationship with Harper’s classmate and rival, Lily’s father, Eric. Don’t worry if you’re confused yet; it gets even more complicated when the four female leads switch roles while Eric serves as a charming and grounding focal point for the film.
At times, Freakier Friday is chaotic and, at others, comes across as strangely predictable. With many Chekhov’s gun-type jokes, many viewers will see the punchlines coming a mile away. The writers spend a bit too much time highlighting mundane objects for them not to be used in the ways that they were. However, underneath all of that, Disney does a spectacular job at making the audience want to avert their eyes from a teenager’s attempt at carrying themselves as a senior citizen and vice versa. Amidst all the chaos, though, Eric (Manny Jacinto) delivers an amazing performance where his emotions pierce through the noise and completely sell the plot.
The music in Freakier Friday is just as stellar as the acting. Lindsay Lohan performs several of the songs throughout the film, while punk/rock themes are carried throughout the rest of the soundtrack. “Take Me Away” will be playing long after the movie is over, and for good reason! It, like the entire film, rings the bells of nostalgia just right while still being fresh enough to warrant its creation, which is a bar many films lately struggle to meet. There are several Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)-style cameos that will have returning fans clapping as they see their favorites return to the big screen.
Despite the predictability and the necessity to leave your disbelief for the plot at the door, Freakier Friday checks all the right boxes for those interested. From Gen Z to boomer jokes, anyone and everyone is sure to enjoy their time spent watching this reverse “Parent Trap”. This film does an excellent job of showing and telling how important looking at situations from a different perspective can be. Also, be sure to hang around at the end of the movie, as it quickly segues into a blooper reel that takes viewers behind the scenes of the set and highlights how this truly was a work of love from the people involved.
Freakier Friday opens in theaters Friday, August 8th.
