FREAKIER FRIDAY

Freakier Friday sees the return of one of Disney’s most beloved family comedies for a legacy sequel that is well worth the wait, once again anchored by the dynamic duo of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan who are comedic gold from start to finish, resulting in the heart warming, laugh out loud family comedy of the year!

The Lohanissance is alive and stronger than ever! After making her acting come back with two Netflix romantic comedies, Lindsay Lohan is finally returning to where she belongs: the big screen. And there is no better way to do so than reuniting with her most iconic onscreen mother, recent Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, in a legacy sequel to their hit (and if you were a 90s child, iconic) film, Freaky Friday. Yes, the body swapping fun is not over with a sequel that fans have been waiting exactly twenty-two years for, but like wine and cheese, it has only allowed the story for the sequel age to perfection, delivering fans and newcomers alike the worthy legacy sequel that honours the legacy of the first film and tells a story that deepens the themes of its predecessor while delivering a true crowd please. 

Simultaneously hilarious and moving with its discussion of mother-daughter relationships, sisters and the importance of family, energized by a talented cast led by the fearless and dazzling performances of Curtis and Lohan, Freakier Friday is the prime example of a legacy sequel done right that not only delights fans of the original film but is bound to create a new generation of fans for this beloved Disney story.

The 2003 Freaky Friday, itself being a remake of the 1976 film starring Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, worked because of the stellar performances of Curtis and Lohan as the body swapping mother and daughter pair, whose effortless comedic energy allowed them each to become the other. And twenty-two years later, they haven’t missed a beat as they return to the roles of Tess and Anna respectively. This time around, Curtis and Lohan both swap bodies with Anna’s daughter and soon to be step daughter Harper and Lily, becoming two Gen Z teenagers, and their work once again is comedic gold. Curtis revels as Lily, losing her mind that she is “ancient” and covered in wrinkles as a grandmother, delivering laugh out after laugh out loud moment as she freaks out at her appearance, tries to coach Harper as Anna to flirt with her mother’s old high school flame Jake, and a particularly memorable moment going down the seniors supply aisle at the drug store. The role plays naturally to Curtis’s comedic strengths as an actress, but it is in the more emotional moments of the film where she shines as she finds a vulnerability in Lily as she grapples with the changes in her family and life that despite the outward confidence, are overwhelming and frightening, and finding a peace in all of it. Lohan is absolutely charming as Harper pretending to be her mom, recapturing that star power that made her a household name in the late 1990s and 2000s with a welcoming, funny and warm presence on screen that reminds audiences why this is where Lohan belongs. As a pairing, Curtis and Lohan are dynamite, delivering a constant parade of standout comedic moments while creating a beautiful heart to the film that brings to life the story of family at the centre of the story, proving once again to be one of the most entertaining pairings of the year again.

While it is the stellar pairing of Curtis and Lohan that once again define the film, they are supported by some great supporting performances. Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons are great as Harper and Lily, perfectly capturing the wisdom and lived experience of Anna and Tess during the body swapped section of the film’s story with a grace and confidence that showcases their true talents as young actresses. Manny Jacinto is lots of fun as Anna’s fiancé Eric, bringing a loveable and goofy presence to the film that matches the tone of the film perfectly, while his romantic chemistry with Lohan is absolutely delightful. Chad Michael Murray returns as Jake, once again with his heart throb danger and disarming looks that proves that he has not lost a second of his charm from the era that made him a teenage heart throb.

Body swap comedies have a simple premise that ignites the entire film, and Freakier Friday plays to this comedic subgenre strengths with a similar story about the importance of family and mother-daughter relationships that was at the heart of its predecessor. With the body swapping occurring over three generations of the Coleman family, the film naturally leads itself to new comedic situations as well as bringing back some of the most memorable jokes of the first film, such as Jake’s attraction to Tess, attempting to physically force the reversal of the body swap, and the still teaching Mr. Bates who had it out for Anna after her mother denied him a date back in high school.

Though the themes that are at the core of the story remain the same, it's the setting that they unfold in that makes them feel fresh and justifies Disney revisiting this beloved family comedy. With Anna getting ready to marry her fiancé Eric and their daughters who don’t get along, an almost reverse The Parent Trap plot unfolds that could be better described as the parent breakup with Harper and Lily trying to end their parents’ engagement to revert their life back to the way it was before the big changes their single, love struck parents forced on them. But in doing this, the importance of family, getting in touch with one’s feelings that are harder to address, mother-daughter relationships and sisterhood flourishes on screen, causing both of these characters to mature in ways they did not expect. The result is a narrative that delivers a big screen experience that is certain to tug on viewers’ heart strings in a universal story of family and love, which is never something that you can have too much of.

Given this is a Lindsay Lohan starring film, it should come as no surprise that the costume design for the film is a lot of fun and the hair and makeup work is top notch. The costumes perfectly capture the characters, from the new fashion trends of the fashion forward Lily using her creative passion to dress Tess and Anna in what she sees as “in”, to the powerful clothes of Anna in her power boss producer era or Tess as everyone’s favourite, lovable grandmother, there is not a single costume choice that is remiss. It is matched by the hair and makeup work, ensuring that every character looks fabulous, elevating the fantasy lived by Harper and Lily on this unforgettable body swap experience. With Anna’s rock band Pink Slip being an important part of the first film and its rocking pop soundtrack, it naturally follows that the soundtrack once again is an important part of the sequel. 

Featuring a mix of new hit songs from artists like Chappell Rohn, a timeless use of the classic “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” in a great Dirty Dancing ode, and the new cover of “Ultimate” that was written for Lohan in the first film, the soundtrack has it all. And on top of that, the Pink Slip reunion and performance of the first film’s cover of “Take Me Away” is the perfect treat for longtime fans of the first film that will have them rocking in their seats all over again.

Acting as both a love letter to the beloved 2003 comedy and the family comedies that Lohan made her career on, there is no doubt that Disney has another hit on their hands with Freakier Friday. With Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan returning to two of the most notable characters of their illustrious careers, once again bringing tons of laughter and heart with their phenomenal performances and on screen chemistry, it’s impossible to not have the time of your life with this nostalgic comedy that is truly made for movie goers of all ages. With a meaningful exploration of family, mother-daughter relationships and sisterhood in one of the funniest movies of the year, bolstered by the ever charming and brilliant lead performances of Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, Freakier Friday is the sequel that fans have not only been waiting for, but the one that they deserve that further develops the themes of its predecessor in a truly crowd pleasing experience that demands to be seen with a sold out crowd.