When people say the 2000s had the best film comedies, they are absolutely right. One of the most significant contributors to this is the 2003 eponymous adaptation of Freaky Friday. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, the film became iconic for its cast, their chemistry, the film's score, the unforgettable quotes, and hilarious antics.
Back in the original film, we all remember how Dr Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her teenage daughter, Anna (Lindsay Lohan), struggled to see eye to eye on plenty of matters, including their interests and each other's partners. Their relationship became especially fragile when Tess ultimately decided to remarry, and Anna struggled with the sudden changes in her life as she was also dealing with high school shenanigans. It's not until they are forced to literally switch places that they are finally able to mend their bond and start anew.
Freakier Friday review
Now, more than 20 years later, we finally get the sequel. Freakier Friday begins with the premise of Anna being a single mom and now dealing with a teenage daughter, Harper. When Harper gets into trouble at school for fighting with another girl named Lily, Anna goes to the school to deal with the problem, but she runs into Lily's dad, Eric Davies (played by Manny Jacinto), and they quickly fall for each other.
A few months later, Anna and Eric decide to blend their families and get married, but their daughters refuse to become step-sisters. In the meantime, Tess is still practising as a therapist while also touring with her next novel, all with her husband's, Ryan (portrayed by Mark Harmon), full support. Tess also wants to help Anna with Harper and hopes her family won't be split up once Anna and Eric marry and move to London.
It is then that due to an apparently crooked fortuneteller, Anna, Tess, Harper, and Lily exchange places with each other, causing mayhem, chaos, and plenty of roaring for fun for viewers as the foursome have now to deal with each other's lives while trying to keep the secret from everyone else. It is now up to them to solve their family's qualms before time runs out, and with another wedding fast approaching, only the bond that Tess and Anna share can help them turn this freaky Friday right on its proper head again.
Seeing Curtis and Lohan reunited and playing again these memorable and beloved characters is such a surreal, yet extraordinary experience, as their chemistry and genuine love and respect for each other leaps from the screen. Each scene they share, as their true selves and as teenagers (Tess exchanges places with Lily and Anna with Harper) is a heartfelt reminder why the Freaky Friday film (2003) was such a hit. This dynamic duo is, simply, pure magic.
Undoubtedly, the one who steals this film away with her performance is the Academy Award winner, Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis's comedic timing, physical comedy, and ability to once again properly portray a teenager are something that only a highly talented actress like herself can do. There's also a makeover scene in the sequel, and while it isn't as memorable as the first one where Tess had a head-to-toe one, Curtis' hysterical performance delivers one laugh after another.
Other original cast members who also return are Chad Michael Murray, who once again plays Jake, Anna's former boyfriend and who harbours a not-so-shocking secret; Christina Vidal and Haley Hudson as Maddie and Peg, respectively, as Anna's highscool friends and bandmates; Ryan Malgarini as Ryan Coleman, Tess' son and Anna's younger brother, Rosalind Chao and Lucille Song as Pei-Pei and her mother, respectively, as the Chinese business owners who made the original switch happen, and Stephen Tobolowsky as Mr. Elton Bates, Anna's former highschool teacher who harboured a secret love for Tess.
A surprising cast addition was Elaine Hendrix as Blake Kale, who works with Anna in her marketing job. Many will remember Hendrix as the iconic, evil, and perhaps misunderstood, Meredith Blake from another of Lohan's most renowned films, The Parent Trap. While Hendrix only appears in a few scenes as a side-character, it was still every millennial's dream to see her reunited with Lohan, her former "double trouble nemesis" on screen.
I won't spoil the film's twists, and while its premise was a tad formulaic and predictable, it's still a worthy sequel to the 2003 movie version. My only notes are that I would've loved to have seen more of Harry, Anna's friends, and a musical ending like in the original movie. However, aside from the reused elements that many of Disney's comedic movies have, Freakier Friday holds its own weight, and any FF fan must add this film to their seen list.