Well, it’s been 22 years since FREAKY FRIDAY :gulp: and the powers that be have finally decided to grace us with a sequel, FREAKIER FRIDAY. While the story is certainly not the most original—frankly, it is just putting a slightly different spin on a story we already know well—it is adorable, funny and has moments that are sure to be entertaining for all generations. It’s clear the cast is having the time of their lives and that enthusiasm is infectious. My main complaint is that I wish the film was maybe 15-20 minutes shorter because it drags a bit in the second act, but overall I dare you not to laugh at Jamie Lee Curtis puffing up her lips and Lindsay Lohan trying to seduce Chad Michael Murray; I think both scenes put the FREAKIER in Friday.
FREAKIER FRIDAY picks up decades after the events of the first film. Tess (Curtis) and her daughter Anna (Lohan) have not told anyone about their experience switching bodies. After all, who would believe them? But now Anna has a daughter of her own, Harper (Julia Butters), and the two are facing their own :ahem: tension. Anna is getting married to the father (Manny Jacinto) of Harper’s mortal enemy, Lily (Sophia Hammons). And to make matters worse, the parents are planning to move the family to London, away from everything Harper knows and loves. Lily is equally unenthused about the marriage, hating the idea of anyone replacing her mother. Meanwhile, Harper has begged to stay in Los Angeles with her grandmother Tess, which is a complete non-starter for Anna; Anna is shocked Tess would even consider such a thing.
So to recap, Harper and Lily can’t stand each other, Anna and Tess are in a fight over boundaries, Harper is upset with Anna for trying to move them to London, and Lily is annoyed by Tess’s attempts to psychoanalyze the situation. Sounds like just the right formula for a bigger, better switcharoo, right?
I love that the film is written (Jordan Weiss) and directed (Nisha Ganatra) by women. They do a phenomenal job of making the story heartwarming, funny, and relatable… I especially loved the tongue-in-cheek callbacks to FREAKY FRIDAY. Ganatra expertly balances the comedic and dramatic elements, ensuring that with every sentimental moment, there is a hilarious counter… whether it be Vanessa Bayer’s hysterical barista psychic, Curtis’s floor crawling, or Lohan’s “flirting”. I do wish they had they kept the film’s runtime closer to the 90 minute mark, because I started to get a bit antsy about an hour in, wondering how much time was left. I think you can only do so many fish out of water scenes before it starts to get a little stale. I also don’t really understand why they made Jacinto and Hammons’ character British; the accents (or lack thereof) were a bit distracting and felt unnecessary to the plot.
More than anything, I love that FREAKIER FRIDAY is another benchmark in the Lindsay Lohan Hollywood comeback tour and her first Disney premiere in 20 years. She proves she still has the “it” factor, with the acting chops to star in any genre. Seeing her performance in this film is going to make you remember how much you missed having her on screen. It’s only right that Julia Butters, who is one of the best young actors working today, plays Lohan’s daughter… walking in the footsteps of a legend. Lohan’s chemistry with Curtis feels incredibly genuine, like a real mother-daughter relationship should. And Curtis is as fearless as ever, with some of the best physical comedy I’ve seen on-screen all year.
FREAKIER FRIDAY is a delightful, nostalgic adventure that leans into the silliness for the sake of comedy. I am ecstatic that the film has fun Easter Eggs sprinkled throughout, such as a cameo from Elaine Hendrix, who famously starred as the villainous stepmom in Lohan’s PARENT TRAP (1998). I also loved the blooper reel during the end credits, which shows how much the cast really did seem to enjoy making the film. A theme throughout the FREAKY FRIDAY franchise has been to make good choices, and I think you would be making a great choice by deciding to see FREAKIER FRIDAY either this weekend or when it comes out on streaming later this year.
My Review: B